❓ A parliamentary question regarding rate exemptions for not-for-profit organisations and their impact on local government revenue. The government's response largely defers to local governments and ongoing discussions with WALGA.
AnsweredQoN 1762Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to an article in The West Australian from Saturday January 10 which referred to local councils claiming shortfalls in funding due to organisations being exempt from rates due to their classification as a not-for-profit, and I ask : (a) How many not-for-profit organisations have claimed rate exemptions from local governments across the State; (b) What is the estimated total loss of revenue as a result of these exemptions; (c) How are exemptions for rates determined; (d) How often are rate exemptions and the criteria by which they are determined reviewed; (e) When was the last review conducted; (f) What feedback has the State Government received in relation to the viability of Local Governments as a result of these exemptions; (g) Does the State Government intend on conducting a review of rate exemptions; and (h) If yes, when, and if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 March 2026
Responded by
Minister for Local Government
Response time
9 days
(a – b) Rate exemptions are administered by individual local governments in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 1995 (Act). Revenue exemptions is recorded by each local government as part of its own financial management processes.
(c) Land that is not rateable is set out in Section 6.26 of the Act.
(d – e) Local governments are expected to periodically confirm that exempted land continues to be used for the purpose that justified the exemption.
(f – h) The Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) has raised this as part of its advocacy positions. The Cook Labor government continues to consider and work with WALGA in relation to issues raised on behalf of the sector.
(c) Land that is not rateable is set out in Section 6.26 of the Act.
(d – e) Local governments are expected to periodically confirm that exempted land continues to be used for the purpose that justified the exemption.
(f – h) The Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) has raised this as part of its advocacy positions. The Cook Labor government continues to consider and work with WALGA in relation to issues raised on behalf of the sector.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.