Hamilton’s Heartbreak: When Rates Steal the Future

STORY OF THE WEEK!

My Story – The Cost of Living in Hamilton (August 2025) All my partner and I want is to start a family. But in Hamilton, that dream keeps slipping further away — not because we aren’t ready emotionally, but because we simply can’t afford to. I bought my first home here when I was 25. It wasn’t much — a cold, neglected 3-bedroom house with rotten floors, broken door handles, and holes in the walls. It was what I could afford, so I fixed it up myself. From the day I moved in, I had to rent out the spare rooms to strangers just to make ends meet. That was supposed to be temporary. But five years later, we’re still living that way. Now in our 30s, my partner and I feel the pressure of time. Her biological clock is ticking loudly in our lives — it’s become a regular source of stress, arguments, and heartache. We want children. We want stability. But we can’t bring a baby into a house where flatmates from the internet come and go. And yet, we can’t afford to lose the boarders either — not when rates are skyrocketing and every other cost is going up with them.

Last year our rates bill was $857.27. This year it’s $1,015.59. That’s an 18.5% increase in just one year. And for what? The roads are crumbling. Water and utilities are becoming less reliable. Crime is worse than it’s ever been. Council keeps demanding more, while delivering less — and ignoring the very real struggles of the people they claim to represent. We’ve looked into ways to reduce our dependency on council services. Solar, bore water, a septic tank — solutions that would ease pressure on public infrastructure. But there's no reward for trying to be self-sufficient. No rebate. No reduction. Nothing but more red tape, more fees, and more punishment for trying to do the right thing. We even looked at converting our garage into a proper room to create more space. Council wanted more than $15,000 in development contributions for the privilege — and wouldn’t admit fault when their own assessment mistakes came to light. It feels like no matter how hard we work or how much we sacrifice, we’re still being pushed down by a system that’s meant to support us. And meanwhile, those at the top — sitting on comfortable salaries — carry on as if everything is fine. We’re not asking for handouts. We just want a fair shot at building a future. But for us, and so many others in this city, the dream of raising a family in a secure home is being crushed under the weight of relentless costs and broken priorities. Hamilton is losing its heart — and council needs to wake up before it’s too late.