Hon Rodney Hide to speak at Federated Farmers Otago Annual General Meeting

The Hon Rodney Hide is the keynote speaker at the 2011 Federated Farmers Otago Provincial AGM, where he will talk about what local government reform will deliver for farmers.

“This is an important topic for farmer’s bottom lines given the increasing size of the rates bill for farmers”, says Otago Provincial President Mike Lord.

“The concern we have with rates is that Council funding policies are too reliant on property value and not reliant enough on the benefit each ratepayer receives from council services, and this means farmers get hammered.

“Take the new Otago stadium, for instance, where I’ll be paying nearly 15 times what the average residential ratepayer in Dunedin will pay.

“Councils have the tools available to fund this expenditure in a fairer manner, they’re just not using them.

“Preceding the Minister at the speaker’s podium will be Forsyth Barr Stadium’s chief executive David Davies, who will be giving a virtual tour of the new Otago stadium.

“Personally I think the stadium will be great to watch some rugby in, but it’s a financial liability we’re going to paying off for years to come.

“Now our Council has made the commitment, we may as well get behind it. I just object to paying so many times more than other residents for the pleasure of seeing it built.

“But the issues around local government funding are bigger than just the stadium. I’ll be paying thousands of dollars this year alone for Dunedin’s libraries and museums, thousands more than what the average resident pays.

“I’m looking forward to the future for the region, to these new amenities and a great new stadium, but we have to make sure this is funded fairly, without a disproportionate load being put on to Otago farmers,” Mr Lord concluded.