The WACA has sought a 10-year rates exemption worth an estimated $2.5 million from the City of Perth, as the redevelopment of the historic cricket ground nears completion.
The WA Cricket Association has sought a 10-year rates exemption worth an estimated $2.5 million from the City of Perth, as the redevelopment of the historic sports ground nears completion.
Outlined in the City of Perth’s agenda for its December 2 meeting, the council has acknowledged the $184 million redevelopment has been a challenge for the WACA but is instead offering limited concession rates for the next three years at a total cost of about $350,000.
The request comes after what the city says is a decade of rates concessions to the WACA worth $1.9 million which have been granted by various state government ministers, the most recent by Minister for Local Government Hannah Beazley which ended in June.
The city said these ministerial moves had been made without input from the council.
The city’s administration recommended councillors approve a 75 per cent concession in the current financial year, followed by a 50 per cent rate cut and then a 25 per cent discount ending in 2027-28, at a total cost of $347,450 instead of the $2.5 million it estimated.
“It is acknowledged that the WACA may benefit from short term support in the form of a time-limited rate concession to allow the WACA to resume operations after the challenges of the re-development project,” the council said in its discussion notes, where it also highlights that it has made a $25 million capital contribution to the project.
But it also noted that the redevelopment, which includes a host of new facilities available to the public, ought to provide “significantly enhanced revenue generation opportunities” for the WACA.
“Given this, it is appropriate to begin exploring options to secure a reasonable contribution from the WACA as a responsible corporate citizen operating within the city boundaries,” the agenda stated.
“A request for a ten year 100 per cent rate exemption as proposed by the WACA is not considered to be in the spirit of that outcome as the city’s ratepayers would otherwise be covering that financial shortfall.”
The WACA reported a net profit of $68.4 million for the financial year ending June 30, however that included $67.3 million from grants relating to the WACA Ground Improvement Program being recorded as income.
If the grants income was excluded the WACA would have made profit of about $1 million for the past financial year, on operational revenue of $46.1 million, a similar result to the previous corresponding period.
In 2024-25, revenue from Cricket Australia was $38 million, WACA member subscriptions were $7.2 million and the organisation's own functions-related income was $905,143.
