JACK Dempsey and his Bundaberg Regional Council are under fire from rural ratepayers, who have been hit with up to 100 per cent increases in their rates.
A group of landholders in the Gaeta district, about 100km west of Bundaberg, say while Mayor Dempsey had blamed the massive rate increases on new Queensland Government land valuations, the rates increases were little more than a cash grab by council.
Cattle producer Harvey Campbell said the rates on his 4000 hectare property had increased to $30,000 a year.
"We could expect 2-5pc increases in rates, but a jump of $10,000 in one hit is pretty severe," Mr Campbell said.
"It's not like the council has given a reason why the massive increase in revenue was required.
"The cattle industry may be going well now, but we're really playing catch up on years of drought and ordinary prices.
"Surely rates increases should be capped."
BRC chief executive officer Steve Johnston dismissed the complaints in a statement to Queensland Country Life, saying property valuations were determined by the Department of Natural Resources, Mines, and Energy.
"All ratepayers had the option to object to their valuation if they believed it was incorrect," Mr Johnston said.
"For the agricultural sector, the rate in the dollar was reduced from $1.5492 to $1.4077.
"The rate in the dollar is the lowest it has been for this category since the 2013-14 budget year."
Mr Johnston said changes in valuations result in some properties receiving an increase, and others receiving a reduction as the property valuation is used to determine the share of rates levied.
However, it is understood only 16 of the 1796 agricultural properties in the BRC was not hit with an increase in rates.
Ross Dunn, a landholder on Rosehill Road, said regardless of the valuations, it was council which set the levy rate in the dollar, which then determined the amount of rates paid.
"Jack Dempsey and the BRC have a responsibility to make sure the different groups of ratepayers are treated fairly," Mr Dunn said.
"He knows if he hit the residential ratepayers of Bundaberg city with a 100pc hike in rates they would boot him out at the next election".
"But Gaeta is half an hour the other side of Gin Gin so Jack Dempsey and the Bundaberg councillors can gouge all they like because the votes from Gaeta aren't really important to them on voting day."
Mr Dunn said to add to the injustice, rates had already been increased by almost 30pc during the past six years and BRC had removed the discount for early payment of rates.
"The 50pc to 100pc rate hike is bad enough but this twisting the blade is a cruel extra hit to landholders' cash flow," Mr Dunn said.
"When BRC wants more money they just put the rates up, but should only do so with due regard to its necessary expenditure, the CPI, services provided, the financial impact on rate payers and the equity of rate increases between groups of ratepayers.
"Mayor Jack Dempsey has not and cannot justify this outrageous cash grab - the rate notices should be rescinded, the early payment discount reinstated and new notices issued with any increase limited to the CPI."
Campaigns against the increases in rates have also been launched by Canegrowers and the Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers organisations.
