The rates review announced by the Labor State Government last week has missed the boat in relation to specifically reviewing farm rates, according to Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull.

“The terms of reference indicate the review will consider current rates and charges, current rating exemptions and concessions and the autonomy of councils to provide rates,” Mr Bull said.

“The Nationals promised pre-election a review that specifically looked into farm rates and in particular the unfair significant increases in that sector.

“Labor’s Local Government Minister, Adem Somyurek, was asked in Parliament to explain why a review into rates fails to address the number one issue facing farmers.

“The Minister made the bizarre claim that the rates cap “stops rates increasing”, but what we have seen in some councils is 30 per cent increases in the farm rate category, while the overall council rate increase fits within the 2.5 per cent rate cap rise as other rating sectors have limited, or no, increases – this is unfair.

“We had a chance with this rate review to specifically address this in the terms of reference, but it has not occurred.

“Two weeks ago VFF (Victorian Farmers Federation) president, David Jochinke, who I spoke with on the issue, confirmed the peak farmer’s representative body ‘was not consulted during the development of the terms of reference for this review’.”

Mr Bull said he would push to have strong farmer representation in the review’s public hearings and hope the recommendations would address the situation, despite the nonspecific terms of reference.

Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Peter Walsh, said the Minister’s response showed Labor was out of touch with country Victoria.

“The Andrews Labor Government has completely missed the point of this rates review if it thinks its failed rates cap has been a success,” Mr Walsh said.

“Farmers who saw their rates rise by 30 per cent last year will completely disagree with the Minister’s bizarre claim.”

On the East Gippsland Shire’s draft budget, which originally projected a 12 per cent overall farm rate increase (which is up for review at tomorrow’ s monthly council meeting), Mr Bull said he’d been in productive discussions with the chief executive officer, Anthony Basford, and mayor, Cr Natalie O’Connell, and was hopeful of an adjustment between the draft budget and final budget.

The rates review issue comes as Mr Bull, Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien, and Opposition Leader, Michael O’Brien, pushed the premier on visiting the drought-affected region, only to get no assurances.

Mr O’Brien recently met with farmers in South and East Gippsland who are severely impacted by drought.

It was nine months ago that the Premier acknowledged Gippsland was in the midst of drought.

Since then, despite visiting the Latrobe Valley on numerous occasions, Mr Andrews has refused to set foot further east.

Asked in Parliament last Wednesday, the Premier would not commit to visiting communities or providing relief on council rates in the State Budget, which has been delayed until May 27.

Relief on council rates is desperately needed with farmers not only dealing with drought.

“Our farmers and communities have faced bushfires, floods, job losses at the Heyfield mill and now drought, but the Premier still refuses to visit,” Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, said.

“It’s no wonder Daniel Andrews thinks Labor’s token drought support is enough when he hasn’t even travelled to East Gippsland to meet with farmers and see the devastating impact it’s having on them, first-hand.”

Mr O’Brien said that Mr Andrews doesn’t understand how bad the conditions really are.

“Daniel Andrews needs to get out of the city and visit Gippsland farmers with an announcement on council rate relief,” he said.