A 25 per cent rate increase with revaluation over three years and returning to a uniform rate for dry land farmers is absurd and ludicrous.
As a dryland farmer, I more than pay my fair share of rates for the year and what do I get in return, not much, a nearby dirt road graded maybe once every seven years.
The land I own is needed to derive my income for the year. I don’t operate a full-time office with employees using a pen, calculator and computer.
I produce food for this nation’s population to eat and, in doing so, I need hectares to run my business.
The rating system in general was developed in Queen Victoria’s time and is an outdated antiquated draconian system. Using Capital Improved Value is nothing but a perceived wealth tax.
The move by Gannawarra Shire Council towards a uniform rate is nothing but a slap in the face to our farming communities, who are essential for the shire to exist.
Sometimes I wonder if this has been forgotten when I see empty silos, demolished sheep yards. We were once the third biggest prime market in the State of Victoria, bringing people to Kerang from far and wide who also used the shops whilst visiting.
Now local farmers have to freight their produce all over the State and interstate to sell.
During the 2002 drought a study showed that for every dollar a farmer made it was used four times around the community. Maybe council has forgotten the true value of the farming community and have even this year taken away the public holiday for the Kerang Show in their wisdom.
The move to raise dryland farmers’ rates is a money-grabbing exercise and just pits one part of the community against another. The perception is dryland farmers had a good season last year and they can afford the rise. Yes the yield was our best in a long time, maybe ever; but the price was what we received in 1974 and hardly scraped the surface of overdrafts and loans endured from the past 23 years of drought and dry seasons.
Council’s attitude signifies to the farming community we are to be treated as a peasant society similar to the days of King John and Robin Hood, while the major centres of Kerang and Cohuna get the benefits from the taxes collected at the farmer’s expense.
Places like Macorna, Murrabit Quambatook and Lalbert will cease to exist as funding dries up.
To try to get some balance and equity back into the collection of rates, I have in recent weeks approached the Premier and Deputy Leader of the Opposition who are considering my proposal to adopt a Community Fund. An example of how this would work; Rates collected in say the Avoca Ward are placed into a Community Fund administered by a nominated financial institution, residents would nominate a project each 12 months and funds would be distributed to have the project addressed thus returning dollars back to where they were raised.
Recently, the Mallee Eagles Football and Netball Club at Lalbert had a new surface constructed for their netball courts costing $64,000. Three weeks after construction they started to crack open. Further work has now reluctantly been done by the shire with a band-aid fix for $1200. A shire employee said at the time we might like to put further money aside for new courts. W.M. Loud’s Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena construction specialists, have assessed the courts and replacement would cost approximately $240,000. The Mayor has informed the club the shire couldn’t afford this. Remembering these courts have only just been done two years ago.
If 20 dryland farmers were allowed to put one year’s rates into a Community Fund they would immediately have enough to address this problem in this community.
It is sad that council haven’t researched their actions more thoroughly. They would have recalled not too long ago meeting staunch opposition from the Gannawarra farming community for exactly the same action. This lead right into the Supreme Court in 2001 where the farmers won. An action that saw 500 farmers withhold paying their rates for 2 ½ years.
Hopefully this time they will see reason and common-sense will prevail as it did then, producing a fair and equitable system for all.
In closing, I would implore the community to object strongly to this increase either online on the shire website or by a letter to Gannawarra Shire Council, PO Box 287, Kerang, 3579 by close of business on Monday, May 29, 2017.
Geoff Kendell,
Pine View.
What price do we put on a life?
HAVING now lived in Cohuna for the past 12 years, I am taking this opportunity to publically support the Cohuna Aviation Club’s funding request for $100,000 to commence necessary upgrades to the Cohuna Airport, so we can keep the Air Ambulance supporting the Cohuna District Hospital.
Since living in Cohuna, there have been so many occasions either during the day or night where you hear the plane or helicopter come into town to collect a very ill patient and transfer them to more specialised care. I too, have been a recipient of the Air Ambulance in Cohuna after being treated by Dr Barker and the excellent staff of the Cohuna District Hospital, then flown to Melbourne for specialised care, and will always be so grateful for this service.
It is one of the greatest services that this region offers its locals and visitors. We have exceptional medical care in our electorate, led superbly by Dr Barker and the brilliant staff of the Cohuna District Hospital who have saved many lives together with the assistance of the Air Ambulance.
Whether it’s an ill baby, the elderly or someone in between, resulting from accidents or illnesses this shire has a responsibility to have all its airports up to code for the Air Ambulance to do what they do best.
Living in small communities, we all often know a majority of these patients’ who have been flown out for specialised care and everyone would want them to have the best chance of recovery or a chance at life.
Saved minutes in medical emergencies saves lives and the Cohuna District Hospital needs our shire to support the funding the request of the Cohuna Aviation Club.
Di Gibbs,
Cohuna.
