Dear Editor
Councillor Johns was the only councilor to oppose the recommendation to drop rates for primary producers, reportedly claiming that as farmers do not contribute enough to the community and are the main users of bridges and dirt roads these are reasons to deny them a reduction.
Is he being deliberately obtuse or can’t he help it? Apart from providing food – the very staff of life (or maybe Councilor Johns would prefer Chinese imports), farmers are a good source of employment in the area. Many larger properties have farm hands and managers and we, small fry by comparison, employ on a casual basis an average of 15 workers each year many of whom are locals. Some farmers may use dirt roads and bridges but how many other ratepayers in the municipality use them also, especially for wood carting? And what of those properties that are serviced by sealed roads maintained by the state? Properties such as Londavra, Millbrook, Cullenswood, Killymoon, Rostrevor, Frodsley and Ormley, to mention but a few. Does Councillor Johns include these in his skewed and unbelievably ignorant assessment of primary producers?
And apart from contributing more to the community than the average ratepayer a good many farmers also miss out on the benefits of garbage collection, lights and sewage. If we are on a dirt road, quite often shared by non primary producers, we are lucky to get it graded once a year.
Some farms also provide tourist accommodation and although it is at times necessary for tourists to access these on dirt roads many local businesses benefit financially from this.
So what is he on about? Obviously Councillor Johns knows very little of farming, what that means to a community and how much poorer we would be without it. His blanket judgment of all primary producers appears based on some biased assumptions with no basis in fact and his arrogant statements are downright insulting.
Frank Giles, Seaview Farm
