The Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) has requested a 10-year, 100 per cent exemption from paying council rates to the City of Perth, a move that could cost the city $2.5 million in lost revenue. The request comes as the WACA Ground prepares to reopen in early 2026 after a multi-million dollar redevelopment.
City of Perth officers have recommended against the exemption, noting that the WACA has paid only 10 per cent of its rates over the past decade, benefiting from $1.88 million in ministerial exemptions since 2013/14. The most recent exemption, granted by Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley in 2023, runs until June 2025.
The council report highlights that no other sporting facility in the city receives a rates exemption. Instead, officers recommend a phased return to full rates: a 75 per cent discount in 2025/26, 50 per cent in 2026/27, 25 per cent in 2027/28, and full rates from 2028/29.
WACA chief executive John Stephenson said the association would accept any rate relief offered. “We’ve been incredibly grateful for the city’s support during the construction period,” he told ABC Radio Perth. He added that the WACA is pursuing open discussions and has no immediate plans to appeal to the minister if the council rejects the exemption.
The City of Perth councillors will debate the issue at their ordinary meeting on December 9. Minister Beazley defended her past exemptions, citing the WACA’s sporting, cultural, and economic significance to the state.
