News

media releases | April 11, 2019

Farmers continue to shoulder rates cap burden

The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy believes farmers are shouldering the burden of Daniel Andrews’ poorly implemented ‘Fair Go’ rates cap.

“Labor just don’t seem to understand the pressure farmers are under with rates and it will only get tougher for them while Daniel Andrews refuses to ensure his rates cap is applied in a fair and equitable way,” Ms Kealy said.

“But instead of listening to our farmers’ pleas to urgently conduct a farm rates review, Labor has dragged its feet and refused to make this critical review a priority.

“In the lead up to the election the Liberal Nationals committed to establishing an independent review into farm rates in the first 100 days of government and getting rate rises under control by applying a 2.25 per cent rate cap limit to all rating categories, including farm rates, while the review was undertaken.

"While Labor matched the commitment to hold a review, farmers still don’t know when it will begin.

“Farmers are right to question if Labor is serious about providing genuine relief, when its Local Government Minister will only say “a review will take place”, but fails to say when it will actually be delivered.

“There’s no reason an independent review of farm rates, with the rate cap applied to all rating categories while it is conducted, can’t begin immediately.

"I am calling on the Andrews Labor Government to act immediately to review farm rates so our farmers can have some certainty and relief from the skyrocketing rate rises they have faced in recent years.

“We can’t afford to rate our farmers out of existence.”