Rachel Hagan, Yorke Peninsula Country Times

Primary producers and other residents have packed the Yorke Peninsula Council gallery to witness an impassioned debate about whether farmers should be asked to pay an increased rate across the next financial year.

The special council meeting, held at Minlaton on Wednesday, May 22, became heated at times as councillors argued about whether to charge farmers higher rates than they currently pay to help cover the costs of services such as road maintenance.

As the discussion peaked, members of the public could be heard commenting from the gallery at the back of the chambers, which was at maximum capacity of about two dozen animated onlookers.

A report tabled on the evening outlined that the purpose of the special meeting was to decide whether to endorse going to a community consultation session about the council’s preferred 2024-25 rates policy and the “policy position in relation to future increases to the differential rate in the dollar for the primary production land-use category”.

At the start of the debate, Councillor Tania Stock said the elected members should not vote on this because there had not been enough notice given.

“This has essentially been put forward without any consultation,” Ms Stock said.

“To put forward an item that councillors don’t have the relevant financial information to assess is essentially irresponsible,” she said.

Councillor Roger Johns agreed, and both members launched into a debate on removing “recommendation C” from the agenda, which was eventually done.

This section related to a proposed plan to gradually increase the rates of primary producers across the next eight years to bring them more in line with what residential ratepayers are currently paying.

The subject of rural roads, and how the extra rates collected from primary producers would impact their condition, was soon brought into the discussion.

“I’d also like to point out that it’s not just the primary producers that drive on the road; it’s not just heavy vehicles, it’s all vehicles,” Ms Stock said.

“We enthusiastically welcome more and more tourists to this district, but they don’t contribute to our road funding.”

Mr Johns argued farmers were being unfairly vindicated over the quality of the roads, and that it was, in fact, tourists who were doing the real damage.

“Agriculture always seems to be the one targeted because we’re doing so well,’ he said.

Councillor Naomi Bittner argued that 26 per cent of the council’s residents were living on a pension, and many of the households she had visited were living on a below-average income.

She said she knew the region’s primary producers were compassionate and intelligent, but  she would struggle if they argued against paying their fair share.

“If they asked for the onus of the rate burden to be pushed to pensioners and the people who are living in our small little communities — I would be especially frustrated if they did that, and continued to demand improved road access,” Cr Bittner said.

The public consultation period begins tomorrow (Wednesday, May 29) and goes until  Thursday, June 27.

This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 28 May 2024.