In its draft 2018-19 Budget, Horsham Rural City Council proposed to lower residential rates by 0.6 per cent and increase farm rates to 11.8 per cent.

This means the residential rate sector will have a rate reduction of $540,000, while framers will pay $646,000 to cover the difference.

A special meeting run by the Victorian Farmers Federation’s Wimmera branch will be held this Friday from 5pm at the Kalkee Football grounds for residents to voice their rate concerns to councillors.

Councillors from Horsham, Hindmarsh, Yarriambiack, Buloke, Northern Grampians and West Wimmera shires have been invited to attend.

VFF president and Murra Warra farmer David Jochinke will help run the meeting.

“We want to show council that we’re not happy about the disparity between the rate categories,” he said.

“There will be a few speakers, including Ararat Rural City Rating Strategy Advisory Group spokesman Sam King who will talk about the similar process they went through last year.

“Ararat council tried to have a flat rating system and the group were able to successfully prevent that from going through.

“We’ll also have the vice president of the NSW Farmers Federation who has had vast experience in dealing with rate capping.”

He said this was an issue that affected farmers across the Wimmera.

“It started as just a Horsham concern, but we’ve expanded it to invite councillors from around the region,” he said. 

“Councillors have the ability to accept their Budgets but also change the rate burden. We’re calling on them to re-balance the burden. 

“It isn’t fair that the system is weighted so the agriculture sector carries the burden; we’re not saying farmers shouldn’t pay their share, but we are copping the brunt of the increase.”

Petitions addressed to each council will be available at the meeting for people to sign.

“This is a chance for the community to tell their councils that they’re not happy with the process and lack of engagement that occurred before these decisions were made,” he said.

“There are three parts that we’ll be focusing on. 

“The first is the short-term re-balance of the rates burden.

“The second is getting the state government recommendations from the inquiry and putting them in place. 

“The last one is seeking alternative methods of raising revenue for councils.

“We expecting over 100 people at the meeting; there’s been a lot of interest.”

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