Rates notices really stack up

Published: 16 July 2020. (Note: information was correct at date of publication but may have since been changed or superseded.)

A quarter of a million rates and water notices are mailed to Cairns residents each year – or a stack as high as a 10-storey building.

With the start of the new financial year, now’s the time for residents to make the switch from their mailbox to their inbox.

In the 2019/20 financial year, 161,893 water notices and 117,792 rates notices were issued by snail mail; or 80 per cent of these invoices.

Mayor Bob Manning said, placed end-on-end, the paper trail would stretch from Trinity Beach to Mirriwinni, almost the entire length of the Cairns Regional Council area, or stacked on top of each other, close to 30m high.

Add in the envelopes, and the figures double.

“Council is committed to reducing our impact on the environment. Cutting the number of printed notices is one way we can do that,” Cr Manning said.

“We do use 100 per cent recycled paper, but there are other environmental impacts associated with transport, printing and having the postie go door to door. There is also a significant cost to ratepayers for postage.

“Ultimately the best way to protect the environment is to eliminate waste. Residents can do their part by making the switch from paper to digital.”

Residents can quickly and easily request their water and rates bills be sent by email via Council’s website, by providing their name, email address and property assessment number, found on the top right hand corner of any existing notice.

They can also request a Bpay View version via their internet banking.