THE Wimmera branch of the Victorian Farmers Federation will advocate for a shared rates burden across all sectors to the Horsham Rural City Council.
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Branch members met in Horsham on Monday for the group’s annual general meeting.
President Daniel Keam, of Wallup, stepped down from his role, with Graeme Maher, of Lubeck, elected in his place.
Mr Keam said Horsham council rates were a major issue discussed at the meeting. Horsham councillors David Grimble and John Robinson were in attendance.
“We will be advocating to the council that the $287 municipal charge stays the same and that the burden should be decreased for rural rates” Mr Keam said.
“We can only hope that they take it on board. It may not happen this year, but hopefully something will be resolved this year.”
It comes after reports last week that the council was aware of a possible solution to its rates problem in April 2018, but did not implement it into its 2018-19 Budget.
An independent Rates Strategy Advisory Committee created a Rating Strategy Review and suggested a further farm rate differential discount of 13 per cent. It was the same as a solution presented to the council 10 months ago.
The operating cost of the committee was $75,000.
“We’re very disappointed that the committee came up with the same solution that was delivered to the council 10 months ago. They wasted $75,000,” Mr Keam said.
“The VFF may not have put in a formal application, but I would have thought the forum at Kalkee in March with councillors, council staff and 130 VFF members would have been enough to see there was a problem, but they chose to ignore that.”
VFF vice president candidates Gemma Monk and Emma Germano also spoke at the meeting.
“Both candidates are very well qualified and informed, so I think our branch got a lot out of that. They discussed the future of the VFF and what they would like to advocate for,” Mr Keam said.
Mr Keam said his decision to step down from his role of president after four years was due to personal commitments.
“I will still be advocating for VFF in whatever role they need me in. My commitments have changed and I have a young family,” he said.
“I hope people get behind Graeme. He’s a man with a vision and made a great speech at the meeting. He wants to get more young people involved in the group.”