Drought relief should go straight to rates, says Cupper

MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper has written to Premier Daniel Andrews requesting the Victorian Government fast-track the delivery of its drought relief package to Millewa farmers and pool all allocated funding into one category to be used for immediate rate relief.

At last month’s drought support program announcement in the Millewa, Mildura Council was promised $670,000 under two separate streams of funding — $420,000 for a Local Government Service Support Payment and $250,000 for a Community Priorities Fund to be spent on infrastructure or community building programs.

• VFF demands total council rates overhaul

However, Mildura Mayor Simon Clemence said he had written to the government requesting it move the $250,000 component into the service support category to be used entirely for rate relief, after farmers identified rate bills as a “primary concern”.

Ms Cupper said she had liaised with representatives of the Millewa Carwarp Drought Advisory Group, who had argued for the same outcome.

“This would allow Mildura Rural City Council to apply the full $670,000 to rates relief,” Ms Cupper said in her letter to Mr Andrews.

Ms Cupper said the advisory group and individual farmers unanimously agreed the best support that they could get was in flexible support from Mildura Council to reduce the cost of running their businesses.

“One of the clearest messages that we’ve received from the Millewa farmers is that flexibility in the delivery of drought relief is the most critical ingredient to make a difference,” she said.

“They have told me that they most definitely want council to look at reduction of costs rather than capital works or community events.

“I completely understand and agree with them.”

Ms Cupper said in other parts of the state there were pre-existing community programs the Victorian Government had earmarked for the community priorities fund, but in Mildura those types of programs were better funded with federal drought support funding that had already been allocated.

“I’m asking for the Premier to heed the call of our farmers and allow this change in funding allocation so that the Victorian drought support package can be used where it’s needed most,” she said.