Rates are a type of property tax system in the United Kingdom , and in places with systems deriving from the British one, the proceeds of which are used to fund local government . Some other countries have taxes with a more or less comparable role, like France 's taxe d'habitation .
85-493: Local government authorities levy annual taxes, which are called council rates or shire rates. The basis on which these charges can be calculated varies from state to state, but is usually based in some way on the value of property. Even within states, individual local government authorities can often choose the specific basis of rates – for example, it may be on the rental value of houses (as in Western Australia ) or on
170-683: A capacity of 23,200 cubic metres per day (146,000 barrels per day) until its closure in 2021, producing most of the state's petrol and diesel. Kwinana also hosts alumina and nickel processing plants, port facilities for grain and other bulk exports, and support industries for mining and petroleum such as heavy and light engineering, and metal fabrication. Shipbuilding (e.g. Austal ) and associated support industries are found at nearby Henderson , just north of Kwinana. Significant secondary industries include cement and building product manufacturing, flour milling, food processing, animal feed production, automotive body building and printing. Western Australia has
255-527: A comparative advantage in resource extraction and processing. As a consequence: In 2019 Western Australia's overseas exports accounted for 46% of the nation's total. The state's major export commodities included iron-ore, petroleum, gold, alumina , nickel, wheat, copper, lithium, chemicals and mineral sands. Western Australia is the world's largest iron-ore producer (34% of the world's total), and extracts 66% (6.9% of world production) of Australia's 306 tonnes (9.8 million troy ounces) of gold in 2022. It
340-666: A detailed breakdown of the amount being collected in rates each year so that rate payers know exactly what they are funding. The Act sets out what types of land can be rated (i.e. taxed), either in full or partially, and what types of land are exempt from local government rates. The Act sets out parameters for how land can be differentiated, and the types of methods and formulas that can be used for assessing rates. It also contains administrative type provisions for how values are calculated and rates are assessed and collected, penalties for late payment, and other special case considerations. The Act states that all land, unless otherwise excepted,
425-463: A distinction in search of a meaning, and in simplest terms a property tax is more flexible than a land tax, and can be applied to both land and the improvements on the land. In New Zealand, as in most countries, residents pay income tax, a Goods and Services Tax, and property taxes (as well as assorted other minor taxes and fees). Although property taxes are the least substantial of these three principal forms of taxation, they are generally held to be
510-550: A diverse range of climates, including tropical conditions in the Kimberley , deserts in the interior (including the Great Sandy Desert , Little Sandy Desert , Gibson Desert , and Great Victoria Desert ) and a Mediterranean climate on the south-west and southern coastal areas. As of 2021, the state has 2.91 million inhabitants—11 percent of the national total. Over 90 percent of the state's population live in
595-685: A fee that applies in such cases, but if a fee is applied, it can not exceed the actual administrative and financial costs involved. These types of waivers need to be formally reviewed at least once every six years by the local authority There are also income-tested provisions under the Rates Rebate Act (1973) that provides a subsidy to low income homeowners to help them meet the cost of their rates. The national government's Auditor General audits all local authority annual reports, and several times has prepared specific reports on common issues and concerns that have arisen from its reviews. After
680-459: A further 1,196 species currently recognised but unpublished. They occur within 1,543 genera from 211 families ; there are also 1,276 naturalised alien or invasive plant species, more commonly known as weeds. In the southwest region are some of the largest numbers of plant species for its area in the world. Western Australia's ecoregions include the sandstone gorges of the Kimberley on
765-403: A lack of storage and refrigeration facilities favour live animals over imports of processed meat. About half of Australia's live cattle exports come from Western Australia. Resource sector growth in recent years has resulted in significant labour and skills shortages, leading to recent efforts by the state government to encourage interstate and overseas immigration. According to the 2006 census,
850-529: A land area of 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi), and is also the second-largest subdivision of any country on Earth, surpassed only by the Sakha Republic in eastern Russia, and formerly Northwest Territories in Canada, before the creation of Nunavut. It is also the largest proper subnational entity, being a state rather than a territory or an autonomous region. Western Australia has
935-510: A landslide, and implemented this with effect from 1979. Local authorities lost 33% of their budget and made cutbacks. From the mid 1980s until 1997, most levied "water charges" to make up part of the shortfall. In 2013 a Local Property Tax (LPT) was introduced, which has been compared to the reintroduction of domestic rates; one difference is that LPT is collected centrally by the Revenue Commissioners before being disbursed to
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#17327658543731020-717: A major centre for associated services. Outside of mining, primary industry is the other significant contributor to the state's economy, including agriculture in the Wheatbelt and temperate southern coastal regions, pastoralism in marginal grassland areas, forestry in the south-west and fishing (including pearling and, historically, whaling ). Western Australia has a geological history dating back to 4.4 billion years ago when Hadean zircons were formed. The earliest direct known life on land, known as stromatolites , started to be created by microbes at around 3.48 billion years ago. The first human inhabitants of Australia arrived from
1105-400: A mix of these different methodologies when assessing rates based on the value of holdings, for example land value for its general rate and capital value for a targeted rate. Councils can also levy flat charges per rating unit (i.e. each lot of land, with some exceptions where multiple adjacent lots may be considered one rating unit if in common ownership, or where multiple dwelling-units are on
1190-409: A piece of land with three condo/apartments on it. This becomes relevant when general rates such as Uniform Annual General Charges are imposed, not per rating unit, but per SUIP. The Act defines two main categories of rates: general rates and targeted rates . A general type of rate is usually adopted when the local authority believes the community as a whole should pay for a service, or where there
1275-440: A rate of one halfpenny per pound of unimproved land value). But the contribution of land taxes to the government steadily reduced and by 1967 represented a mere 0.5% of total government revenues. In 1982 it was observed that only 5% of all land was taxed (the rest was exempted under one of an increasing list of exemptions), and so in 1990, land tax was repealed. Instead, it has property taxes related to land. This might seem like
1360-517: A result, the South West region of the state has a higher concentration of rare, threatened or endangered flora and fauna than many areas of Australia, making it one of the world's biodiversity "hot spots". Large areas of the state's wheatbelt region have problems with dryland salinity and the loss of fresh water. The southwest coastal area has a Mediterranean climate . It was originally heavily forested, including large stands of karri , one of
1445-553: A scientific paper, General view of the botany of the vicinity of Swan River . It discusses the vegetation of the Swan River Colony . Europeans began to settle permanently in 1826 when Albany was claimed by Britain to forestall French claims to the western third of the continent. Perth was founded as the Swan River Colony in 1829 by British and Irish settlers, though the outpost languished. Its officials eventually requested convict labour to augment its population. By
1530-403: A set of matters —these are considerations that determine which rating units will be liable for, and which rating units will not be liable for a particular rate. In Schedule 3, it lists a set of factors —these are considerations that determine how and what amounts will be payable. There are nine matters that can be considered, for example, where the land is located, or the use to which the land
1615-572: A significant fishing industry. Products for local consumption and export include western rock lobsters , prawns, crabs, shark and tuna, as well as pearl fishing in the Kimberley region of the state. Processing is conducted along the west coast. Whaling was a key marine industry but ceased at Albany in 1978. Western Australia has the world's biggest plantations of both Indian sandalwood (northern WA) and Australian sandalwood (semi-arid regions), which are used to produce sandalwood oil and incense . The WA sandalwood industry provides about 40% of
1700-450: A single lot) - generally called a uniform annual general charge. Other methodologies also exist, such as a charge per toilet bowl or urinal, or a water charge per cubic metre of water supplied. The Local Government (Rating) Act 2002 is the governing legislation and provides a number of options for setting rates, such that local authorities can use combinations of general rates, targeted rates and/or uniform annual general charges. Rates in
1785-431: A single rating unit. So, for example, a farmer with land on four different titles, on both sides of a road that goes through the middle of his property, would most likely have his four titles deemed to be a single rating unit. A second related concept is that of determining a count of Separately Used or Inhabited Parts of a Rating Unit (SUIP). It is possible that one rating unit might have multiple SUIPs on it—for example,
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#17327658543731870-428: A specific service or benefit is being provided unevenly to some ratepayers but not to others. Targeted rates can also be imposed on all ratepayers, with the monies received being earmarked to fund a specific purpose. An example of a targeted rate might be a 'Central Business District' rate imposed on property in a town's central business district and used to fund specific services in that area. Another example might be
1955-507: A standard rate per dollar of rateable value, or at different rates for different categories of rating units. The different categories that could be considered are listed in Schedule 2 to the Act. More than one general rate can be imposed. For example, a ratepayer may be levied a UAGC of $ 200 plus a differential rate of 0.25% of the total property value. Targeted rates are sometimes used where
2040-431: A water rate—possibly a flat fee per rating unit that is connected to a central water service, and/or possibly a fee per cubic metre of water provided. A related rate would be a sewage disposal rate, often calculated on the basis of the number of toilet bowls or urinals present in each rating unit. Water and sewage rates can have three 'states' associated with them. If a rating unit does not have that service available, then
2125-490: Is 1,862 km (1,157 mi). There are 20,781 km (12,913 mi) of coastline, including 7,892 km (4,904 mi) of island coastline. The total land area occupied by the state is 2.5 million km (970 thousand sq mi). The bulk of Western Australia consists of the extremely old Yilgarn craton and Pilbara craton which merged with the Deccan Plateau of India, Madagascar and
2210-450: Is a major world producer of bauxite, which is processed into alumina at four refineries providing 11% of total world production. Until 2020 diamonds were extracted from the world's largest diamond mine in the far north Kimberley region. Coal mined at Collie is the main fuel for baseload electricity generation in the state's south-west. Agricultural production in WA is a major contributor to
2295-414: Is an Act of New Zealand 's Parliament that empowers Local Government bodies to levy property taxes on property owners within their jurisdictions. These property taxes are called rates . They are assessed annually and usually paid in four equal instalments. New Zealand no longer has land taxes per se. Formerly, NZ did have land taxes—its first ever direct tax, enacted in 1878, was a land tax (levied at
2380-469: Is attributed by historians as an important factor driving the state's population and economic growth. Following a campaign led by Forrest, electors of the colony of Western Australia voted in favour of federation with the five other Australian colonies, resulting in Western Australia officially becoming a state on 1 January 1901. Western Australia is bounded to the east by longitude 129°E,
2465-573: Is currently tilted 10 degrees away from the South Pole towards Western Australia, allowing for aurora australis displays as far north as Geraldton . Western Australia is home to around 630 species of birds (depending on the taxonomy used). Of these around 15 are endemic to the state. The best areas for birds are the southwestern corner of the state and the area around Broome and the Kimberley. The Flora of Western Australia comprises 10,162 published native vascular plant species, along with
2550-516: Is imposed on each rating unit. The concept of rating unit is defined in the Rating Valuations Act 1998. Generally, each separate certificate of title is considered to be its own rating unit. But if multiple certificates of title are owned by the same person or persons, are used jointly as a single unit, and are either contiguous (i.e. next to each other) or separated only by a road or rail line or body of water, then they can be deemed
2635-439: Is land owned or used by Agricultural and Pastoral Societies as showgrounds, sportgrounds (but not horse or greyhound racetracks) and/or land owned or used by any group for any branch of the arts. Non-rateable land is still liable to pay rates related to water supply, sewage disposal, and/or refuse collection. Understanding what comprises a single rating unit is important when rates such as a Uniform Annual General Rate (see below)
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2720-497: Is no good reason or reason to separate the cost out and fund it specifically. General rates apply to all ratepayers within the local authority's jurisdiction. A general rate can be either a Uniform Annual General Charge which applies equally to all ratepayers, or a 'value based' rate which is based on some element of the property's value (either its unimproved (land) value, its combined value of land and improvements, or its annual value). Value based rates can be calculated either on
2805-504: Is now known as Cape Inscription, Dirk Hartog Island . For the rest of the 17th century, other Dutch and British navigators encountered the coast of what Abel Tasman named New Holland in 1644, usually unintentionally as demonstrated by the many shipwrecks along the coast of ships that deviated from the Brouwer Route (because of poor navigation and storms). By the late 18th century, British and French sailors had begun to explore
2890-670: Is put. There are twelve factors that can be used in calculating rates, for example, the area of floor space within any buildings on the land or the value of improvements to the rating unit. Because they are felt to be regressive in nature, there is a 30% cap on how much of the total rates revenue can be collected from Uniform Annual General Charges and from targeted rates that are set on a uniform basis, except for uniformly targeted rates that apply for water supply or sewage disposal. The Act requires properties to be valued at least once every three years. The Rating Valuations Act (1998) covers much of this process, and Part 2 of this Act sets out
2975-402: Is rateable. In Schedule 1 to the Act it defines 25 categories of land that are non-rateable and also three categories of land which are rateable at no more than 50% of the regular rate. Non-rateable land is primarily land that is owned by the national or local government, or owned by a charity and available to the public, and some categories of Maori land. Land that is at least 50% non-rateable
3060-400: Is the northern tropical regions. The Kimberley has an extremely hot monsoonal climate with average annual rainfall ranging from 500 to 1,500 millimetres (20–60 in), but there is a very long almost rainless season from April to November. Eighty-five percent of the state's runoff occurs in the Kimberley, but because it occurs in violent floods and because of the insurmountable poverty of
3145-641: The Group Settlement Scheme of the 1920s, which encouraged farmers to settle the southwest—increased awareness of Australia's western third as a destination for colonists. Led by immigrants from the British Isles, Western Australia's population developed at a faster rate during the twentieth century than it had previously. After World War II , both the eastern states and Western Australia received large numbers of Italians , Croatians and Macedonians . Despite this, Britain has contributed
3230-588: The Kaapvaal and Zimbabwe cratons of Southern Africa, in the Archean Eon to form Ur , one of the oldest supercontinents on Earth (3 – 3.2 billion years ago). In May 2017, evidence of the earliest known life on land may have been found in 3.48-billion-year-old geyserite and other related mineral deposits (often found around hot springs and geysers ) uncovered in the Pilbara craton. Because
3315-544: The Local Government (Rating) Act 2002 . Territorial authorities may assess property values in three different ways – on the basis of land, annual or capital value – using valuations prepared in accordance with the Rating Valuations Act 1998. The valuation process is overseen by the Valuer-General . Each local authority, after consulting with their community, can decide which basis to use. Councils can use
3400-625: The south-west corner and around 80 percent live in the state capital Perth , leaving the remainder of the state sparsely populated. The Trans-Australian Railway and the Eyre Highway traverse the Nullarbor Plain in the state's south-east, providing the principal connection between Western Australia and the population centres in the eastern states . Western Australia's Indigenous peoples have been present for tens of thousands of years. Dutch explorers visited Western Australia from
3485-489: The tallest trees in the world. This agricultural region is one of the nine most bio-diverse terrestrial habitats, with a higher proportion of endemic species than most other equivalent regions. Thanks to the offshore Leeuwin Current , the area is one of the top six regions for marine biodiversity and contains the most southerly coral reefs in the world. Average annual rainfall varies from 300 millimetres (12 in) at
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3570-519: The 17th century, with Dirk Hartog 's 1616 expedition the first Europeans to make landfall. The British claimed Western Australia in 1827 and established the Swan River Colony with Perth as its capital in 1829. The Western Australian gold rushes of the late 19th century resulted in a significant population influx. The colony was granted responsible government in 1890, the last of the Australian colonies to become self-governing, and federated with
3655-576: The 1890s around Kalgoorlie . In 1887, a new constitution was drafted, providing for the right of self-governance of European Australians, and in 1890, the act granting self-government to the colony was passed by the British Parliament . John Forrest became the first Premier of Western Australia . In 1896, after discoveries of gold at Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie , the Western Australian Parliament authorised
3740-433: The 2016 census, 75.2% of inhabitants spoke only English at home, with the next most common languages being Mandarin (1.9%), Italian (1.2%), Vietnamese (0.8%), Cantonese (0.8%) and Tagalog (0.6%). According to the 2021 census, Christianity is the major religious affiliation in WA, followed by 41.1% of its population. In 1971, Christianity was followed by 85.5% of the population and it has been declining since, while
3825-640: The Act (section 23)—i.e., being set by a resolution of the local authority. This apparent simplicity is because most of the process is prescribed in section 103 of the Local Government Act 2002 . It requires rates to be congruent with the Revenue and Financing Policy in the Long Term Plan, and for each year's rate-setting to be based on the annual plan for the year and its associated Funding Impact Statement. Rate models must be included in
3910-499: The Act's requirements. The report goes on to cite some of the problems uncovered, with the problems generally being failures of procedure or understanding of the Act's requirements, rather than being anything willfully fraudulent. It is difficult to give accurate time series data for rates revenues, due to the changing nature of local authorities, one-off transactions each year, and the dominating/distortive impact of Auckland. So we are providing some simple headline data here. Between
3995-510: The FIS, and if the rate setting process isn't strictly followed, the rates thereby levied may be uncollectable. The Act allows local authorities to remit all or part of the rates on a rating unit if the local authority has established a formal policy allowing itself to do so. The act allows local authorities to postpone all or part of the rates on a rating unit, again if there is an existing formal policy allowing such postponement. The policy may set
4080-736: The Report's more surprising recommendations was that local authorities should fund more capital works from debt, which it felt was a fair and appropriate way to fund long-term capital benefits, and which could allow for a 10% reduction of current rates. In general, very few of the Report's recommendations have been acted on. In 2014, the Auditor General provided some commentary on their auditing policies and issues uncovered to do with local authority rates. They reported that most local authorities had some problems with rating compliance, and that they uncovered compliance problems with every aspect of
4165-472: The Shand Report, but formally titled 'Funding Local Government' was undertaken in 2006 and reported in 2007. This inquiry noted that in a number of respects, the consultation, planning and accountability practices of local authorities were more advanced than those of central government. Nonetheless, it came up with 96 specific recommendations grouped into eight categories for future improvements. One of
4250-646: The United Kingdom are a tax on property used to provide some of the funding of local government. Domestic rates, split into regional and district rates, are currently collected in Northern Ireland . They were collected in England and Wales before 1990 and in Scotland before 1989. Outside Northern Ireland Council Tax is collected instead of domestic rates. Business rates are collected throughout
4335-642: The United Kingdom, with different systems in England , in Wales , in Northern Ireland and in Scotland . In the US, real estate taxes which are based on a percentage of the property's actual or nominal value are referred to as "property taxes". The term "rates" is not used in this context. Property taxes are the prime funding method for local government (i.e., counties, cities, townships, etc. ), and are normally paid by
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#17327658543734420-587: The Western Australian coast. The Baudin expedition of 1800–03 included the coast of Western Australia and resulted in the Freycinet Map of 1811 , the first published map featuring the full outline of Australia. The name New Holland remained in popular and semi-official use until at least the mid-1850s; that is, it was in use for about 206 years in comparison to the name Australia which to date has been in use for about 195 years. The origins of
4505-618: The arnona. Single parents and some forms of economic hardship qualify for discounts or even exemptions. In New Zealand , rates have provided the major source of revenue for territorial authorities since the late-19th century. Rates are basically a tax on real property. For the year ended June 2005, rates made up 56% of local-authority operating-revenue. Almost all property owners in New Zealand pay rates; those who do so are referred to as ratepayers . People who rent property do not pay rates directly, but property owners will take account of
4590-805: The coast around the Margaret River wine-growing area. Going east along the Southern Ocean coast is the Goldfields-Esperance region, including the Esperance mallee and the Coolgardie woodlands inland around town of Coolgardie . Deserts occupy the interior, including the Great Sandy-Tanami desert , Gibson Desert , Great Victoria Desert , and Nullarbor Plain . In 1831 Scottish botanist Robert Brown produced
4675-685: The coast of Western Australia. On 7 March 1831 it was transferred to the control of the Swan River Colony, and named Albany in 1832. In 1829 the Swan River Colony was established on the Swan River by Captain James Stirling . By 1832, the British settler population of the colony had reached around 1,500, and the official name of the colony was changed to Western Australia on 6 February that year. The two separate townsites of
4760-730: The coastal plains, in some cases forming a sharp escarpment (as with the Darling Range/ Darling Scarp near Perth). The extreme age of the landscape has meant that the soils are remarkably infertile and frequently laterised . Even soils derived from granitic bedrock contain an order of magnitude less available phosphorus and only half as much nitrogen as soils in comparable climates in other continents. Soils derived from extensive sandplains or ironstone are even less fertile, nearly devoid of soluble phosphate and deficient in zinc , copper, molybdenum and sometimes potassium and calcium . The infertility of most of
4845-425: The colony developed slowly into the port city of Fremantle and the state's capital, Perth . York was the first inland settlement in Western Australia, situated 97 kilometres (60 mi) east of Perth and settled on 16 September 1831. York was the staging point for early explorers who discovered the rich gold reserves of Kalgoorlie. Population growth was very slow until significant discoveries of gold were made in
4930-583: The cost of rates when they set the rent. As a result, those who rent properties also have an interest in the level of rates, as well as in the services provided by councils using these rates. Some types of property are exempt from rate levies - government land and rail land, for example. Other categories of property may possibly only be rated at 50% (land used for some types of sports purposes). Māori land - particularly where ownership and therefore liability for rates are hard to establish - can also get special treatment. Exceptions are listed in Schedule 1 Part 1 of
5015-569: The edge of the Wheatbelt region to 1,400 millimetres (55 in) in the wettest areas near Northcliffe , but from November to March, evaporation exceeds rainfall, and it is generally very dry. Plants are adapted to this as well as the extreme poverty of all soils. The central two-thirds of the state is arid and sparsely inhabited. The only significant economic activity is mining. Annual rainfall averages less than 300 millimetres (8–10 in), most of which occurs in sporadic torrential falls related to cyclone events in summer. An exception to this
5100-434: The first state (i.e. no charge) would apply. If a rating unit has the service available, but the service is not being used, then one level of rate might be imposed, and if the service is available and being used, then a second higher level of rate might be imposed. The Act employs confusing terminology when describing the process for setting targeted rates. It helps to see it as a two step process. In Schedule 2, it lists
5185-404: The first year of the new Act's operation, the Auditor General reported in 2005 on some inconsistencies to do with how local authorities could reset rates during a rating year, and how they should handle any rate surpluses collected. In 2006, the Auditor General reviewed the specific policies relating to postponement of rates. A formal inquiry, chaired by David Shand and sometimes referred to as
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#17327658543735270-611: The generally shallow soils, the only development has taken place along the Ord River . Snow is rare in the state and typically occurs only in the Stirling Range near Albany , as it is the only mountain range far enough south and sufficiently elevated. More rarely, snow can fall on the nearby Porongurup Range . Snow outside these areas is a major event; it usually occurs in hilly areas of southwestern Australia. The most widespread low-level snow occurred on 26 June 1956 when snow
5355-466: The greatest number of immigrants to this day. Western Australia—particularly Perth—has the highest proportion of British-born of any state: 10.3% in 2011, compared to a national average of 5.1%. This group is heavily concentrated in certain parts, where they account for a quarter of the population. Perth's metropolitan area (including Mandurah ) had an estimated population of 2,043,138 in June 2017 (79% of
5440-557: The international sandalwood oil market. In recent years, tourism has grown in importance, with significant numbers of visitors to the state coming from the UK and Ireland (28%), other European countries (14%) Singapore (16%), Japan (10%) and Malaysia (8%). Revenue from tourism is a strong economic driver in many of the smaller population centres outside of Perth, especially in coastal locations. Local Government (Rating) Act 2002 The Local Government (Rating) Act 2002 of New Zealand
5525-604: The local authorities. Israel has a similar tax known as arnona that goes back to the days of the British Mandate of Palestine . It is levied by the municipality (or, in smaller localities, by the Regional Council ) based (currently) on the square meterage of dwelling or business. Specific rates vary widely among municipalities, with Jerusalem and Rehovot having the highest rates in the country. In rental dwellings, tenants (rather than owners) generally pay
5610-488: The median individual income was A$ 500 per week in Western Australia (compared to A$ 466 in Australia as a whole). The median family income was A$ 1246 per week (compared to A$ 1171 for Australia). Recent growth has also contributed to significant rises in average property values in 2006, although values plateaued in 2007. Located south of Perth, the heavy industrial area of Kwinana had the nation's largest oil refinery with
5695-618: The meridian 129 degrees east of Greenwich, which defines the border with South Australia and the Northern Territory , and bounded by the Indian Ocean to the west and north. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) designates the body of water south of the continent as part of the Indian Ocean; in Australia it is officially gazetted as the Southern Ocean . The total length of the state's eastern border
5780-539: The most unpopular. They are possibly the most 'obvious', they are the hardest to structure or minimize, and they apply no matter if resident is wealthy or poor. Being sensitive to the public dislike of property taxes, and a general feeling of alienation and disenfranchisement from the tax setting and policy process, the NZ Government set about a major rewrite of both the legislation defining how local government bodies were managed (the Local Government Act 2002 ) and
5865-513: The north "over 50,000 years ago and possibly as much as 70,000 years ago". Over thousands of years they eventually spread across the whole landmass. These Indigenous Australians were long established throughout Western Australia by the time European explorers began to arrive in the early 17th century. The first Europeans to visit Western Australia were those of the Dutch Dirk Hartog expedition, who on 25 October 1616 landed at what
5950-538: The northern coast, and below that the drier Victoria Plains tropical savanna inland, and the semi-desert Pilbara shrublands , Carnarvon xeric shrublands , and Western Australian mulga shrublands to the southwest. Southwards along the coast are the Southwest Australia savanna and the Swan Coastal Plain around Perth, with the jarrah-karri forest and shrublands on the southwest corner of
6035-582: The only mountain-building since then has been of the Stirling Range with the rifting from Antarctica , the land is extremely eroded and ancient, with no part of the state above 1,249 metres (4,098 ft) AHD (at Mount Meharry in the Hamersley Range of the Pilbara region). Most of the state is a low plateau with an average elevation of about 400 metres (1,200 ft), very low relief, and no surface runoff . This descends relatively sharply to
6120-402: The other colonies in 1901. Western Australia's mining sector is a key driver of the state economy . The late 20th century saw the development of the state's significant iron ore mining industry – the world's largest – as well as primarily offshore petroleum and natural gas resources . Gold mining retains a significant presence and many other mineral commodities are mined, with Perth being
6205-443: The percentage of people who identified as having no religious affiliation has increased from 8.7% in 1971 to 42.9% in 2021. A small minority of the population are Muslims (2.5%), Buddhists (2.2%) and Hindus (2.0%). Western Australia's economy is largely driven by extraction and processing of a diverse range of mineral and petroleum commodities. The structure of the economy is closely linked to these natural resources, providing
6290-474: The present state began with the establishment by Lockyer of a convict-supported settlement from New South Wales at King George III Sound . The settlement was formally annexed on 21 January 1827 by Lockyer when he commanded the Union Jack be raised and a feu de joie fired by the troops. The settlement was founded in response to British concerns about the possibility of a French colony being established on
6375-412: The property owner, regardless of whether the property owner lives on the property. Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia . It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Australia is Australia’s largest state, with
6460-418: The property tax setting process (this Act). Section 3 of the Act states its purpose in three points: The powers given to local authorities are indeed broad and flexible (as per the first point) which leads to the constraining second point—rates can only be set and collected after going through a formal process of consultation with the public. The third point makes the process even more transparent—it requires
6545-550: The raising of a loan to construct a pipeline to transport 23 megalitres (5 million imperial gallons) of water per day to the burgeoning population on the goldfields. The pipeline, known as the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme , was completed in 1903. C. Y. O'Connor , Western Australia's first engineer-in-chief, designed and oversaw the construction of the pipeline. It carries water 530 km (330 mi) from Perth to Kalgoorlie , and
6630-465: The record keeping requirements of each local government body. Most local bodies have their rating database available online, and are required to have it available for free public inspection at their principal public office or an alternate appropriate location during regular business hours. Ratepayers can challenge the accuracy of their property valuation or the information held about their property. The process of setting rates seems deceptively simply in
6715-401: The soils has required heavy application by farmers of fertilisers. These have resulted in damage to invertebrate and bacterial populations. The grazing and use of hoofed mammals and, later, heavy machinery through the years have resulted in compaction of soils and great damage to the fragile soils. Large-scale land clearing for agriculture has damaged habitats for native flora and fauna. As
6800-555: The state and national economy. In the period 2010–2019 wheat production in WA has averaged nearly 10 million tonnes (22 billion pounds), valued at $ 2.816 billion in 2019, accounting for half the nation's total and providing $ 2–3 billion in export income. Other significant farm output includes wool, beef, lamb, barley, canola, lupins, oats and pulses. There is a high level of overseas demand for live animals from WA, driven mainly by southeast Asia's feedlots and Middle Eastern countries, where Islamic dietary laws and
6885-451: The state). Other significant population centres include Bunbury (73,989), Geraldton (37,961), Kalgoorlie-Boulder (30,420), Albany (33,998), Karratha (16,446), Broome (14,501) and Port Hedland (14,285). At the 2016 census, the most commonly nominated ancestries were: 3.1% of the population, or 75,978 people, identified as Indigenous Australians ( Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders ) in 2016. At
6970-550: The time transportation ceased in 1868, convicts outnumbered free settlers 9,700 to 7,300. In the 1890s, interstate immigration, resulting from a mining boom in the Goldfields region , resulted in a sharp population increase. Western Australia did not receive significant flows of immigrants from Britain, Ireland or elsewhere in the British Empire until the early 20th century. At that time, its local projects—such as
7055-518: The unimproved land value (as in New South Wales ). These rateable valuations are usually determined by a statutory authority , and are subject to periodic revision. Rates are referred to as property taxes in Canada. These taxes are collected primarily by municipal governments on residential, industrial and commercial properties and are their main source of funding. Levied on domestic property as well as non-domestic premises. Prior to 2000, it
7140-653: Was reported in the Perth Hills , as far north as Wongan Hills and as far east as Salmon Gums . However, even in the Stirling Range, snowfalls rarely exceed 5 cm (2 in) and rarely settle for more than one day. The highest observed temperature of 50.7 °C (123.3 °F) was recorded in Onslow on 13 January 2022. The lowest temperature recorded was −7.2 °C (19.0 °F) at Eyre Bird Observatory on 17 August 2008. The south geomagnetic pole
7225-813: Was used to fund municipal services, the responsibility of the now-abolished Urban Council and Regional Council , through the Urban Services Department and Regional Services Department . The revenue now goes to the Treasury . The bill is issued quarterly. Business rates and domestic rates existed in Ireland as part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and were retained after independence. Business or commercial rates are still collected. Fianna Fáil promised to abolish domestic rates in its 1977 general election manifesto, won
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