Chaos erupted at North Sydney Council as councillors voted to apply for an 87% rate hike, sparking outrage from furious residents. Shouts of “sack them” filled the chambers as the controversial motion passed 7-3. Residents lined up for hours to slam the move, with some warning they would be forced to sell their homes. This video includes ACM-produced voiceover powered by AI.
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00:00When did we get a full head?
00:03But as I said, as I said, it can be...
00:06I'm calling the gallery to order.
00:08Councillor Keane has the floor.
00:09A New South Wales council chambers descended into chaos
00:12as councillors pushed through a massive 87% rate hike,
00:16sparking outrage from furious residents.
00:19A businessman can't go and say,
00:21I'm going to double the price of my takeaway meal or my haircut.
00:25Hear, hear. Spot on, mate. Spot on.
00:28That's where we're sitting here.
00:29Carmen from Kirribilli said,
00:31council is deceptive at best and incompetent at worst
00:33for not disclosing this pile of state of finances
00:36leading up to last year's election.
00:37They should be sacked by the state government and administration.
00:40To have no financial crisis, let me tell you,
00:43there is absolutely no financial crisis here.
00:48This North Sydney council is in surplus.
00:51How can it have a financial crisis?
00:54Only issue is...
00:55That's your segment.
00:56Now, let me...
00:58I haven't allowed anything else.
01:00So if you just...
01:02That is your three minutes.
01:03...just have this constructively work out for everybody.
01:07Everybody else has had three minutes.
01:10Next speaker.
01:11Booze, jeers and shouts of sack them
01:14fill the room at North Sydney council
01:16as the controversial motion passed seven to three
01:18late on Monday night, 10th of February.
01:21I share your frustration and your anger,
01:24which is a...
01:27Call you to order.
01:28Which is a direct result of the poor decisions
01:31made by a former council.
01:37I am going to call...
01:38I'm calling the gallery to order.
01:43All of the councillors have listened with respect
01:45to everyone who spoke
01:47and it's now your time to hear the reasoning
01:50of those who are making the decision.
01:52So I'm calling you to order.
01:54Councillor Berge, you have the floor.
01:57Fake news.
02:01I'm going to put the motion.
02:02All those in favour.
02:04All those against.
02:15I'm calling you to order.
02:16We're moving now to the next item.
02:18Notice of motion one.
02:20The hike, 45% in 2025-26
02:24and 29% in 2026-27
02:27follows a disastrous $122 million pool redevelopment.
02:32Residents lined up for hours to slam the move
02:35with some warning they would be forced to sell their homes.
02:38It's outrageous.
02:40I stand before you today to voice my strong opposition
02:43to the proposed 87.5% cumulative rate increase.
02:50This drastic hike is both unreasonable and unjust
02:55and I urge the council to reconsider its approach.
02:58This council does not have an electoral mandate
03:02for such a rate rise.
03:06Totals $67 million.
03:09This is accurate.
03:10There can be no justification for a rate rise.
03:12The next speaker is Jamie Rodgers.
03:15I urge the council to vote against this resolution.
03:17Jamie Rodgers, you're next.
03:19And in conducting such a vote in the afternoon.
03:21Everybody else has had three minutes.
03:23And I say you should not vote.
03:27Mr. Rodgers.
03:29You're an abuser.
03:31You're an abuser.
03:33You're an abuser.
03:35You're an abuser.
03:37You're an abuser.
03:39You're an abuser.
03:41You're an abuser.
03:43You're an abuser.
03:45Mayor Zoe Baker clashed with the crowd, demanding respect.
03:49As locals accused Council of financial mismanagement,
03:51the proposal now heads to New South Wales'
03:54independent pricing regulator for approval.
03:57With just 5% community support,
03:59the area's ratepayers now face a tough road ahead,
04:01one they never signed up for.