Mid-Western Regional Council Rates Rising With Flood Levels?
Time for a Rate Review, in Our Favour
This week I have written to the General Manager, Mid-Western Regional Council, Brad Cam, asking him for further information on how the rates on my average-to-small residential block in Mudgee has had a significant rate increase.
Rates going up continually is not new news.
But the rate increase this time, COUPLED with the fact that this piece of land was included as a flood risk, in the Mudgee Flood Study which was adopted (their word, not mine) by Mid Western Regional council in 2021, is questionable at best.
At the same time, the rateable value on my “average to small” sized residential lot in south Mudgee has INCREASED 256 PERCENT in the three years since the last “rateable” valuation: from $ 116,000 at 1.7.2019 to $ 297,000 at 1.7.2022.
Not bad in a flood affected zone!
The letter I received in the mail from Mid-Western Regional Council “SUBJECT: ADDRESSING THE EXISTING, FUTURE AND CONTINUING FLOOD RISK AT MUDGEE” was dated 24th June 2022, and clearly stated that Council had adopted the Mudgee Flood Study in 2021.
So, there were no surprises to council, only to the residents!
Of specific concern to me is:
1. How my property’s rateable value has increased by 256 percent over 3 years, given the fact that it is now in a flood risk area, we have had numerous interest rate rises, and according to Red Cross and Australia Post’s mail notifications this month Mudgee residents should be “disaster” ready.
2. What communications has Mid-Western Regional Council had with the Valuer General’s Department during this period relating to the Floodplain Risk Management Study, and other flood communications?
3. What developmental works and mitigation strategies is Mid-Western Regional Council undertaking to prevent the sort of extensive flood activity outlined in the Flood Study? Exactly where are they itemized in the budget, so that ratepayers and residents can review them and ascertain their specific exposure into the future?
4. What was the result of the review of the Flood Study, given that we were promised feedback after the clear dissension from residents in 2022? I have heard absolutely nothing. No further information has been received after the apparent establishment of the new flood group.
5. Exactly what adjustments were made to “rateable value” because of the Flood Study? And what adjustments will be made following the “disaster” notifications?
6. Specifically what communications have been entered into between Mid-Western Regional Council and the Valuer General in relation to flood affected properties in the local area?
7. Did Mid-Western Regional Council participate in the Valuer General’s “Review of the impact of flooding on the 1 July 2022 land values”, published November 2022? Was Council asked to participate? Where can we review the communications?
8. Exactly what arrangements has Mid-Western Regional Council made with Red Cross and Australia Post in relation to being “Disaster Ready”?
The usual answer to me when I previously questioned rates is to contact the Valuer General’s department. In this case I hold Mid-Western Regional Council responsible for communications with the Valuer General’s Department, because it should have been very obvious that they had a problem reconciling the Flood Study information with HUGE rises in rateable values for the residents of Mudgee.
Mid-Western Regional Council should have questioned and reviewed the Valuer General’s valuations, in the interests of their community and ratepayers. (I notice on the NSW Valuer General’s website that the areas in Northern NSW so shockingly affected by flooding are being compared, to a degree, on recent sales: which is not “rateable value”.)
WILL YOU BE COMPLYING?
I will not be paying my rates until I receive an appropriate and detailed response to this letter – including full disclosure of communications entered into on ratepayers’ behalf.
I may not be paying them at all. We will see.
Do we have any other people in Mudgee prepared to push back on this?
Or is this just “business as usual”, “we don’t care”, “we don’t care enough to do anything about it”?
I have to say I have been very unimpressed with the numbers of local people who show NO leadership skills, no inquiry, no action. Which is exactly why we are in the mess we are in.
Keyboard warriors and knockers are thick on the ground, but very few people prepared to lead, be SEEN leading, asking questions to corrupt organisations, talking about the corrupt developments that are occurring locally, questioning the narrative, etc. There is only one way this will end, and it is not good.
Unless we do something, now.
“Flooded Lawson Park”
Unless the Crusing Yacht Club of Australia is moving to Mudgee, I don’t get it!
NEXT UP
Mudgee Eye’s next project is to compile the “SUPPORT LOCALLY LISTINGS”.
For decades now knowledgeable people have been aware that small Australian businesses have been closing because big multinational organisations have taken over.
It is now beyond time to reverse this situation. And yes, I have been guilty like everyone else.
Buying locally and supporting locally is now IMPERATIVE.
There is no time to waste.
The details of this initiative will be published soon; I’m still working on the details.
There will be rules. Do not think you will be included as a local business if you are busy setting up facial recognition surveillance cameras around Mudgee, or similar.
We know the extent of what is already happening, and we are NOT conforming to the global agendas.
But WE continue to FINANCE IT ALL!
The aim is to publish and promote all local businesses who are prepared to stand up and lead into the next economic step that is required to push back on the obvious manipulations of our freedoms.
CATHERINE AUSTIN FITTS
Yes, I feature her again. She is quite convinced that supporting locally can actually be financially strengthening and even very rewarding.
Imagine a local community buying our edible produce from LOCALS not Woolworths and Coles!
Imagine valuing the talents of people who can repair machines, make cheese, source local cheese and milk, farmers who won’t mRNA inject our meat sources, gig-ready musicians...
And receive a listing of marketplaces that will not require digital approval for transactions to be completed?
i.e. No exposure to the CBDC BS. And keeping cash alive.
Mudgee Eye has no more time to educate nay-sayers, we need to move forward to strengthen the local community NOW. It has already begun, but the network is not robust enough, yet.
This exercise will identify the gaps that we have locally, and start finding solutions where we need them.
We definitely need visible leaders. That is very obvious already.
Video explaining the Local Initiative background:
https://tube.solari.com/videos/globalists-plan-to-seize-assets-through-invisible-weapons-systems/
I have received a detailed letter from Mid-Western Regional Council in response to the letter sent to them about land rates increases for residents of Mudgee, despite being newly added to 'flood affected' zones.
RATEABLE VALUE INCREASE IN SPITE OF BEING IN A RECENTLY DECLARED FLOOD ZONE.
The letter confirms that it is the Valuer General who establishes the rateable land values.
The letter clearly states that "Council has no input or influence on the land values determined by the Valuer General."
So it looks like my next letter will be sent to the NSW Valuer General's Department.
FOLLOW UP OF THE FLOOD STUDY.
..."following the release of the Flood Study and feedback from the community consultation, at the August 2022 ordinary Council meeting Council agreed to review the flood study model. Consequently Council remains in STEP 1 of the process with the revised Flood Study now due to be completed early 2024. Steps 2 & 3 involve floodplain risk assessment and identification of works which can be undertaken to manage flood risk and their budgets. The costs of these flood risk mitigation works will likely be grant funded by the State Govt. (sic.)"
"Flood Study modelling is incredibly complex and takes a considerable time to undertake. The review of the Mudgee Flood Study modelling is due to be completed in early 2024. Once the modelling is complete the information will be made available and residents will be contacted, allowing you the opportunity to be involved in consultation before Council adopts the study."
Meanwhile, as my original post stated, my rateable value on my modest residential property has gone up 256 percent over three years.
INSURANCE COSTS.
Furthermore I am now hearing that people's insurances have skyrocketed.
One case, which I have not looked at in detail, appears to indicate an increase in insurance of $ 10,000 this year.
Insurance increases, of course, will be part of the increased financial stresses people are feeling at the moment - and insurance hikes because of being placed in a flood zone are price increases many people were not expecting, and did not budget for.
Please post below if your insurance costs have increased recently, because of your property being included in a flood zone, so that I can ascertain if this is a problem across the board, locally, or if it is not.
And please indicate the percentage rate of increase of your insurance costs, as a figure does not properly indicate the extent of the rise in costs. e.g. is $10,000 increase a 5 percent increase, or a 250% increase in insurance costs. Thanks in advance.
Maybe, as well as, no to businesses using surveillance stuff, we could also ask for yes to cash! All the rest looks absolutely fair. All levels of government are equally at sixes and sevens re disasters, mostly of their own making. The prices of real estate and mortgage rates and private rents have little correlation to the rest of the economy. All of the ageing homeless population growth, bank foreclosures due to repeated and unsubstantiated interest rate rises and finally unreal and fantastic private rent rises putting people and families on the street in unprecedented numbers. The slow moving fat cats at the top of all this need to wake up to their moral and ethical responsibilities.