By BRIDGET COOK
A CLYDE farmer and a Casey councillor are pushing for the council to consider their model to help landowners being forced off their properties due to huge rate hikes.
A number of farms across Casey have been zoned for residential development when included in the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), and as a result the landowners are now facing council rate bills in the tens of thousands due to the value of their land going up.
Ted Wynen, who owns Miegunyah cattle farm in Clyde, and councillor Geoff Ablett have now called on the council to consider allowing those farmers to not have to pay the majority of their rates until they sell their lands.
Mr Wynen, whose latest rates bills was about $30,000, said the current system was forcing farmers off their land before they were ready to sell up.
“Five years ago, we were only paying about $3000 to $4000 in rates,” he said.
“Our rates have gone up 123 per cent in just the past year.
“We are astounded at the magnitude of this impost, which, no doubt, will increase during the ensuing years.
“We are only small farmers and to enable us to pay these rates, we have to dip into our capital and savings.
“The farm simply does not produce enough income to cover such high council rates.
“It is giving us sleepless nights with worries.
“Why should we be penalised for working hard all our lives and never getting a cent from the government in handouts?”
Mr Wynen said while he didn’t mind his land being included in the growth boundary, residents should have a choice of when they wanted to sell rather than huge rates forcing them away.
“In reality, the council should be assisting farmers to stay on their land as long as possible,” he said.
“We can’t stop progress, and eventually we will be forced to give up and leave our property.
“It would be a fairer system if we paid a quarter of our rates while we are farming here, and then when we do sell we’ll pay back what’s outstanding.”
Cr Ablett said the council needed to do something so they weren’t forcing farmers off their land.
“I don’t want us to be accused of forcing people away,” he said.
“They should be able to decide when they want to sell, not when the council decides.
“We could allow this by charging them three to four times the average rates, then they pay back the rest at the point of sale.
“We need to come up with a solution quickly that sits well with farmers.”
City of Casey manager property, rates and valuations Peter Gillieron said the council was considering ways to assist genuine farmers in Casey stay on the land including a proposed grants program for farmers.
“Proposals will be prepared for the council to consider at a future meeting of the council,” he said.
“Any ratepayer facing financial hardship is encouraged to contact the council to discuss payment options in keeping with council’s Hardship Policy.”
The council will also conduct a meeting in the near future with affected landowners so that they can discuss their concerns.
