policy
Western Australian Local Government Infrastructure Contributions Regulations 2026: Perth Councils Required to Direct Levies to Metronet Links Unlike Brisbane or Adelaide
The updated regulations require Perth metropolitan councils to allocate 20 percent of new development levies to public transport connections, a higher share than required in Brisbane or Adelaide under their state frameworks.
How we reported this
The Western Australian Local Government Infrastructure Contributions Regulations 2026 took effect on 1 July and require all Perth metropolitan councils to direct at least 20 percent of development levies collected from new residential and commercial projects to Metronet rail station precinct upgrades.
State Treasury documents released with the 2025-26 Budget show the change forms part of broader federal-state revenue sharing adjustments tied to iron ore royalty flows. The regulations apply only to the 30 Perth and Peel local government areas, leaving regional councils outside the mandatory transport allocation.
Application across capital cities
Brisbane City Council operates under Queensland's Planning Act 2016, which caps transport-related infrastructure contributions at 10 percent of total levies. Adelaide councils follow South Australia's Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016, where no fixed percentage is mandated for rail links and contributions remain discretionary. Perth's rules therefore require a larger automatic transfer to state rail projects than either of those cities.
Local government finance officers in Perth have begun recalculating contribution schedules for projects already in the approvals pipeline. Suburbs along the planned Morley-Ellenbrook and Thornlie-Cockburn lines will see the largest immediate adjustments because those corridors record the highest number of new dwelling approvals each quarter.
Impact on household costs and services
Residents in growth areas such as Alkimos, Byford and Ellenbrook will pay higher per-lot contributions when new estates receive final approvals after July 2026. The additional funds flow directly to station access roads and bus interchange works rather than remaining with individual councils for local parks or drainage.
The legislation states that councils must publish annual acquittal statements showing how levy portions were spent on Metronet-related items. Ratepayers in established suburbs such as Subiaco and Victoria Park will not face direct levy increases but may notice faster delivery of connecting bus services once the funds reach the Public Transport Authority.
Next steps include council-by-council reporting to the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries by 30 September 2026, followed by a consolidated state audit in early 2027. The first round of published statements is expected to cover the 2026-27 financial year and will list exact dollar amounts transferred for each approved development.