![Page 1: The Case for Local Government Funding Reform The Farmer’s Perspective](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032517/56649ca75503460f94969375/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
The Case for Local Government Funding Reform
The Farmer’s Perspective
![Page 2: The Case for Local Government Funding Reform The Farmer’s Perspective](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032517/56649ca75503460f94969375/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Victorian Farmers Federation• The VFF has over 10,000 farmer members• Represents all farming commodities
– Grain, Dairy, Horticulture, Chicken Meat, Pigs, Eggs
• VFF consists of over 200 local branches that meet to discuss local issues and drive advocacy activity of the VFF
• Board of elected and 2 independent skills based directors
• Policy development and advocacy democratically determined through Annual conference
![Page 3: The Case for Local Government Funding Reform The Farmer’s Perspective](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032517/56649ca75503460f94969375/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Why are farmers so concern with Local Government Funding?
• There are two main reasons farmers as so interested in local government funding:– Farmers are service users of local government,
with many referencing the need to return to the tradition Three - Rs
– Farmers are high municipal rates payers
![Page 4: The Case for Local Government Funding Reform The Farmer’s Perspective](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032517/56649ca75503460f94969375/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Municipal Rates Campaign• VFF Research into Municipal rates
– Survey of farmers found• Average farmer rates Bill is $8500 (with examples of $30k and
$40k)• Average residential Bill is under $1000• 85% of respondent are not satisfied with Council services
– Improved road maintenance would greatly assist in this
• Analysis of Council budgets found:– Farmers pay 50% of all rates assessed on business in rural
and regional Vic, but make up 13% of regional economy– In the past 5 years rates collection has increase by over
35% across regional Victoria
![Page 5: The Case for Local Government Funding Reform The Farmer’s Perspective](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032517/56649ca75503460f94969375/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Rates as the symptom…
• Current rate system disadvantages farmers as rate payers– Land is a means of production, not merely where
the business is located
• Rural and Regional Councils do not have a large capacity to raise revenue– Heavily reliant on Gov’t grants and rates for
income
![Page 6: The Case for Local Government Funding Reform The Farmer’s Perspective](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032517/56649ca75503460f94969375/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
What the VFF is doing• Federal Government
– Funding levels– Funding of local roads
• State Government– Funding $160m 4 years– Ministerial guidance on Differentials
• Local Government– Municipal Charges– Strong differentials for farmers– Are Local Government run as efficiently as
possible?
![Page 7: The Case for Local Government Funding Reform The Farmer’s Perspective](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032517/56649ca75503460f94969375/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
State Review to Local Government funding
• VFF is conducting a letter writing campaign
• Petition calling for an Inquiry into Rural rating
• First step to the acceptance that something needs to be done
• We want to work with the community to deliver reform to local government
![Page 8: The Case for Local Government Funding Reform The Farmer’s Perspective](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032517/56649ca75503460f94969375/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Thank you