The members of the NSW Farmers Association have moved motion after motion on issues relating to Local Government rates.
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At their Annual General Meeting, the membership unanimously endorsed that rural rate payers in merged councils be provided with a fair and equitable rating system.
One delegate described the current rate freeze as a “ticking time bomb”and urged the Association to monitor the situation closely.
Local Government Taskforce Chair, Derek Schoen, said, “Our members are concerned that they are already seeing newly merged councils raise rates.
“When farmers already supply a disproportionate amount of the total rates base in regional areas, rate rises immediately following the Baird Government’s mergers simply add insult to injury.
“For example in the newly formed Hilltops Council (comprising Harden, Young and Boorowa), farmland rate payers are 25 per cent of the population but contribute over 50 per cent of the rate base.”
“That’s why we have been calling for stronger process to address concerns about the rating of different categories of land.
“We want an independent panel for ratepayers within council areas to appeal decisions in regard to rates, rate categories and special variation.
“The existing processes have failed to address our concerns.
“We talk a lot about the farmgate price in agriculture these days – but what leads to the farm gate is the local road. And the local road is managed by the local council.
“That’s why the operation of local councils is so important to farmers.”