Minutes of the meeting follow:
Minutes of the public meeting held at the Wingham Services Club, 2pm, Sunday 14/6/2009 to discuss formation of an Action Group concerning the LHPA rate restructure.
Present: Ray Gorton (chair), Lloyd Seaton, Doug Heagney, Ernie Sharkey, Debra Watson, Kerrie Carey, Kerrie Woods, Rod Walsh, Graham Russell, Art Brown, Leonie Hill, Alan Vindin, Allan Sambell, Don Smith, Ian Fisher, Bill Frampton, Will Knight, Helen Knight, Brian Penney, Jill Heagney, Stuart Hudson, Ralph Williams, Steve Watson, W. Roche, R. Sharp, Darrell Woods.
Apologies: John Dorrington, Bill Munton, Graham Lawrence, Lawrie Ayres, Martin Flippance, Jan Wade, Greg Newell, George Cassar.
Ray Gorton opened the meeting and spoke of the need for action, not protest. Protest could easily be ignored. We needed to form a local action group which would have the same goals as other action groups already formed around the state. Unity was essential. We needed to have a sensible and feasible plan. The existing functions of the LHPA had to remain as they were essential for the nation. The question was if we needed the bureaucracy of an LHPA, or if the activities could be absorbed into the Department of Primary Industries (DPI).
The old Gloucester RLPB had 6,400 ratepayers of whom 4,500 were hobby farmers, most of whom now make no contributions. However they can still use the services of the LHPA as the staff at LHPA appear to not differentiate between ratepayers and non-ratepayers at present.
Ernie Sharkey from the Wauchope group, (Midcoast Rural Rates Action Committee – MRRAC), then spoke. They had set up a group with a formal chair, secretary & treasurer which had had two meetings so far – 50 at the first meeting and 60 at the second. They felt that LHPA rates were a tax on farmers and that it would be best if the functions of the LHPA were absorbed into the DPI. Two authorities were a disaster if there was an outbreak of disease. There were existing groups in Cooma & Yass and other areas were talking and thinking about forming groups. The Farmers Federation were supporting the new fee structure as they had passed a resolution in 1995 supporting the LHPA (then the PP Board). They seemed uninterested in the current problem.
We were the only state that had an LHPA. It had been set up in 1873 when there was an outbreak of scabby nose disease. Ernie then moved on to some interesting statistics concerning the mid-north coast area. 61% of current ratepayers had had a doubling of their rates or more. There were 18,000 ratepayers of whom 90% owned less than 100 head, 70% owned less than 50 head and 61% owned less than 39 head. 39 head was the cut-off figure for a doubling of the rates. The cut-off figure for a reduction in rates was 1161 beasts. This figure applied to .03% of coastal properties.
There had been false public statements using false statistics from staff of the LHPA. For example – at the Wauchope meeting Rick Matts had claimed to have only received 60 complaints from 18,000 ratepayers. There was also complete overlap between the functions of the LHPA & the DPI. There were still 47 branches of the LHPA open. Staff cuts had been in local areas and not in the central bureaucracy. The Minister still had total power and could sack any board.
The MRRAC were going to produce leaflets to put under windscreen wipers at cattle sales, Agquip, clearing out sales, and dusty vehicles around towns to publicise the existence of the Wauchope group.
Lloyd Seaton advised that an action group had been established in Monaro. There was a National Party conference happening in Wagga Wagga this weekend. He spoke of his four formal complaints to the LHPA which had not been even acknowledged. Topics were:
-Misappropriation of ratepayer funds.
-Reckless & irresponsible behaviour by Board.
-Selective implementation of Bull Report.
-Denial of natural justice.
General discussion followed:
-National Parks do not pay LHPA rates.
-In America there is one DPI for the whole country.
-If LHPA rates are not paid your property will eventually be confiscated.
-The LHPA has only given one ground for objection. If the notional carrying capacity is acceptable to the ratepayer there are no grounds for objection to a rate increase.
-Andrew Stoner had been very supportive at a recent meeting at Wherrol Flat.
-Duncan Gay, the Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, had asked everyone to sign his petition which he was tabling in Parliament at regular intervals.
-There appeared to be overlap between the functions of the federal DPI and the state DPI. Both looked after animal health, introduced diseases and pests.
-Pests and diseases know no boundaries. There had been problems with containment of Swine Flu due to the overlap between the various state DPIs and the LHPA.
-There was a call for donations.
-There was discussion about incorporation. This concept was rejected for the time being.
Rod Walsh moved a motion that the LHPA be absorbed into the DPI. This was agreed.
The meeting then voted to set up an Action Committee, Office bearers are:
Chair - Ray Gorton. Nominated by Ian Fisher, seconded by Helen Knight.
Secretary/Treasurer – Helen Knight. Nominated by Lloyd Seaton, seconded by
Allan Sambell.
Publicity – Lloyd Seaton. Nominated by Ian Fisher, seconded by Will Knight.
Other committee members are: Ian Fisher, Brian Penney & Ralph Williams.
Other motions passed unanimously were:
-The official title of the committee is: Central Midcoast Rural Rates Action Committee (CMRRAC). It will act as a sub-branch of MRRAC.
-The Committee members are given permission to meet and act as they think best without trying to have meetings all the time.
-The Committee is authorized to deal with such matters as exist from time to time.
-Other public meetings to be held only if major issues arise.
The meeting closed at 3.30pm and generous donations were accepted by the Treasurer.
Helen Knight
Secretary/Treasurer
CMRRAC
17th June, 2009
The committee members are pictured above. L-R Helen Knight (Secretary/Treasurer), Ray Gorton (Chairman), Lloyd Seaton (Publicity Officer), Ralph Williams, Brian Penney & Ian Fisher.
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