Ramsay’s plea to state

A Victorian politician wants the State Government to consider the impact the direction it takes on an Ararat Rural City Council rating plan will have on the district’s farming community.

Liberal Member for Western Victoria Simon Ramsay has urged the Local Government Ministry to advise the Ararat council that it must drop its proposed 2017-18 rating plan.

Mr Ramsay said Acting Local Government Minister Lily D’ambrosio had findings of a Commission of Inquiry report into the rating strategy and with it the future of the shire’s 450 farmers.

“I can only hope commissioners have listened intently to what the community has told them about the potential devastation it will cause to the farming community if the planned changes proceed,” he said.

“Farms represent just 24 percent of rateable properties in the shire, but already pay 38 percent of the rates. Under this rating proposal, they will pay 55 percent of the rate income.

Mr Ramsay said he believed it would be almost impossible for the independent commissioners to come up with any other viable option other than for Ararat to retain a rating status quo, or something similar.

“How Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins, and Acting Minister D’ambrosio deal with this report will be critical to the shire’s future and equally that of farmers,” he said.

“The government must provide a strong recommendation to the Ararat council that it back away from its grossly unfair proposal. The council must then adopt those recommendations.”