By Danielle Kutchel
Struggling ratepayers in the City of Casey can breathe a sigh of relief, after the council announced it would continue its rates freeze out to the end of the financial year.
In a council meeting on Tuesday 16 March, the administrators of the City of Casey moved to continue to implement freezes on interest on outstanding rates, and to not pursue those with outstanding rates, until 30 June 2021.
Administrator Cameron Boardman said at the meeting that the council had considered the move “extensively”, and that it was expected to ease hardship across the municipality.
Administrator Miguel Belmar said the move was part of a range of actions taken by the City of Casey during the Covid pandemic.
He said he hoped the municipality would return to a more normal financial position in future.
Noelene Duff, chair of administrators, said the move was “appropriate” given the level of hardship still being faced by many residents in Casey.
It comes as the Federal Government prepares to end the JobKeeper scheme, which was put in place at the height of the first wave of Covid-19 in 2020 and has been hailed as saving many people’s jobs and livelihoods.
JobKeeper will end on Sunday 28 March.
On Wednesday 31 March, the coronavirus supplement to JobSeeker payments will also be wound back.
The Federal Government has announced a payment increase of $50 a fortnight for those on JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, Youth Allowance and Austudy, starting from Thursday 1 April.
