Indigo Shire Council has declared a "climate emergency". It was with considerable embarrassment that I learned that our elected representatives had voted to declare a "climate emergency" at an ordinary council meeting recently. The council's decision was reported as an example of "local leadership on a global issue". What a remarkable sense of over-importance our council does possess. What do they really think they can achieve by any move they can make at Indigo Shire towards the mitigation of "climate change"?
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Australia's contribution towards "climate change" is far outstripped by the world powers - China, India and the US. So, in fact, no matter what our little shire does, there will obviously be no effect whatsoever on "climate".
What is council proposing? Some proposals signalled were:
1. Selling the council-owned Buller Gas operation (read rate increase). By selling Buller Gas it will still exist for no net gain for the climate, but a financial impost on ratepayers to cover the lost income of a profitable business.
2. Applying to the Essential Services Commission for a rate cap "variation" (read rate increase). With no costing of the "emergency projects" the Essential Services Commission, like the Building Better Region Fund for the industrial estate, will laugh off the submission again leaving ratepayers the losers.
3. Purchase land upon which to plant trees. Once again a considerable rate increase. No direction was given to the CEO of how much land or what constitutes low productivity land therefore the costing of land purchase, fencing, purchase of trees and the on going maintenance costs are another unknown financial impost on ratepayers.
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The imposition of any of the above would result in a considerable impost upon the raterpayers of this shire. In other words, the alarmist ideology and virtue signalling is nothing but an excuse for a dramatic rate hike at a time when the area is experiencing a prolonged drought. Not due to "climate change", but an example of the climate that has been in existence for millennia. Dorothea Mackellar penned a poem referring to "a land of drought and flooding rains". This poem was written at the beginning of the 1900s, over 100 years ago. The current drought is creating a considerable downturn in economic activity throughout the whole area. Coupled with the troubled economic climate in general, any increase in rates may drive some businesses to the wall. This will obviously create job losses and further financial hardship.
Remember the names of the councillors next election and vote them out. Do not let them just constantly find ways of wasting valuable ratepayers' money.
The council's job is the three "Rs", rates, roads and rubbish. It is time they did those things properly and stop adhering to meaningless schemes and "virtue signalling" that will achieve nothing but make us poor.
Graydon Johnston, Chiltern
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