Donor saves honey farm

AN anonymous donor has saved a tourism venture in Tasmania’s North from the auction block after local government moved in to recoup unpaid rates.

The Melita Honey Farm at Chudleigh was to be put under the hammer by the Meander Valley Council to recoup almost $10,000 owed by its owners.

However, mayor Craig Perkins said an anonymous party had stepped in and paid most of the $9332 in rates owing on the honey business to stop it from being sold and perhaps closed.

Additional rates owed by the Beerepoot family on their residence at Mole Creek are still outstanding and the council intends to push ahead with its sale at public auction.

The family has not paid rates on its properties since 2010, claiming the properties are owned by God.

Councillor Perkins said the decision taken by the council to sell the property was a very difficult one but it had an obligation to all ratepayers.

“It seems this anonymous source realised the value of the honey business to the Chudleigh community and its role in keeping tourists coming through,” Cr Perkins said

He said the family still had time to save its home from being sold.

“This sudden resolution does not preclude them from not paying rates again in the future, but I hope that is not the case,” Cr Perkins said.

“We do not want to be in the same position in three years time.”

However, Mr Perkins said that unless a new text was found in the Bible which justified why the family should, like everyone else, pay rates, he feared that would be the case.

“If we allowed an exemption due to their religious beliefs, I imagine the local church would soon be full.

“They are genuine people with genuine beliefs but they must understand the consequences of their actions. All of us contribute to the services and infrastructure that as a community we use and benefit from.”

Local Government Association of Tasmania chief executive Katrena Stephenson said it was not uncommon for properties to be sold to recoup unpaid rates in Tasmania but the reason given for this particular exemption was unusual.

“The claim that the land on which their properties stand is God’s land is a first for Tasmania, I understand,” she said.