By Jeremy Sollars
A large turnout of producers and other interested residents is expected at a public meeting at Freestone Memorial Hall next week to discuss the Southern Downs Regional Council’s Invasive Pest Control Scheme (IPCS) and the plan to potentially lease out the Warwick Saleyards.
Meeting facilitator and former Southern Downs deputy mayor Ross Bartley said concern over both issues among those in the rural sector locally is running hot and petitions would be circulated at next Thursday’s meeting, which will be chaired by former mayor Ron Bellingham.
Rates notices issued across the region a fortnight ago to landowners with holdings zoned ‘Agriculture and Farming’, ‘Horticulture’, ‘Commercial and Industrial’, ‘Residential 4’ and others show an amount for the pest management charge based on a cents-in-the-dollar land valuation.
But the charge is listed as a ‘concession’ and only payable if landowners either fail to meet their obligations under the IPCS to control invasive weeds and animal pests on their properties, or if they fail to submit a ‘Control Works’ form outlining their private pest management strategy by Friday 18 August.
If the council deems it payable the charge will be levied as a ‘Supplementary Rates Notice’ “towards the end of the financial year”, according to a council spokesman.
The minimum ‘special charge’ is $500 but some landowners have been ‘granted a concession’ on their rates notices in the thousands, depending on the valuation of their properties.
Landowners who fail to comply and who have parcels zoned Agriculture and Farming categories 1, 2 and 3, and Horticulture 1, 2 and 3 will pay a ‘supplementary rate’ of 0.5 cents in the dollar of the rateable value of their holdings, with the minimum fee of $500 applicable.
Owners of land zoned Residential 4, Commercial and Industrial (Town and Rural), Extractive and Special Uses will pay 0.3 cents in the dollar, also with a minimum $500 fee.
The council has insisted the scheme is essential to controlling the spread of invasive weeds and pest animals, but many in the region’s farming sector have dismissed it as a money-grab.
Mr Bartley told the Free Times this week producers felt strongly that the council was taking a “sledgehammer” approach to controlling pests.
“We’re expecting a large turnout at the meeting,” Mr Bartley said.
“The vast majority of rural producers in this region have been effectively managing pests on their properties for decades.
“Even the genuine farmers who’ve been controlling pests have taken this scheme as an insult.
“There’s also a lot of concern about the ability of elderly landowners to carry out what the council is requiring.
“There are a lot of questions also around things like does the council have the green waste capacity to deal with pest plants that are delivered after being removed.”
Mr Bartley said invitations to the meeting had been sent to mayor Tracy Dobie and all councillors.
Council outlines the scheme
The council recently advertised two new staffing positions for administration of the Invasive Pest Control Scheme, with the council’s manager of Environmental Services, Tim O’Brien, telling the Free Times last week that “recruitment is underway for these positions”.
“The Control Works forms are being issued with the 2017/18 rates notices and completed forms are due back to council by 18 August,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Where applicable, a reminder letter will be sent giving ratepayers a further 30 days to submit the forms.
“Fines will not be issued in relation to this scheme.
“Rather, where Control Works forms are not submitted or are submitted but the control works are not done, then a supplementary rates notice will be issued towards the end of the financial year.
“The supplementary rates notice will be to the value of the concession that was applied in the current rates notice.
“The minimal special charge is $500. However, if you have a high valued property as per the general rates then this special charge may be higher than the minimal amount based on the rate in the dollar amount per category.
“The Invasive Pest Control Scheme (IPCS) special charge is shown on the current rates notice, as well as a corresponding concession for the same amount.
“If a ratepayer does not submit a completed Control Works form within the timeframes noted, the concession will be removed and they will be issued with a Supplementary Rates Notice towards the end of the financial year for the IPCS special charge amount – and this amount will either be the minimal special charge or the higher special charge – as was indicated on the current rates notice.”
* The public meeting open to rural producers and other interested landowners from Warwick and Stanthorpe will be held at 11am next Thursday 10 August at the Freestone Memorial Hall on Freestone Road. Inquiries to Ross Bartley on 0429 637 729.
