By JASON TURNER
THE Municipal Association of Victoria’s chief executive has spoken out against new guidelines that will dictate how local councils charge rates, fearing they will be far too rigid.
Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell last week released for public comment draft guidelines that would restrict the ability of councils to charge higher rates on certain businesses such as pokies venues and licensed venues.
MAV chief executive Rob Spence said the guidelines could mean that in future such venues would be grouped together with other regular commercial ratepayers.
“It appears it’s targeting certain things like gaming venues,” Mr Spence said.
“It has a significant affect on councils’ abilities to charge according to the make up of their own council area.”
Mr Spence also feared councils would not be able to charge a different rate to residential ratepayers who lived on top of a commercial property, possibly leading to the residential ratepayer paying a commercial rate.
Greater Dandenong Council’s corporate service acting director Michelle Hansen said the council did not charge a differential rate on pokies venues and it had not considered it.
Paperbark Ward councillor Peter Brown said he was against the idea of charging pokies venues higher rates to help fund problem gambling programs.
“If you took that view, you would have to increase it on the TAB and licensed venues,” Cr Brown said. “You’d have to treat them fairly.”
He said these issues were better dealt with at statewide level instead of “evangelical” councils employing local programs.
Last financial year, Greater Dandenong recorded the highest net spend per adult on pokie machines in the state at $1071. The next highest was $970 in Brimbank in Melbourne’s west.
Mr Spence said he believed the proposals were prompted by a Darebin Council move to charge higher rates on fast food outlets.
Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell said “several councils have employed significant creativity and stretched their differential rates powers to pursue social policy objectives.”
However, she said the previous laws provided “insufficient guidance” for councils.
— with Dan Moss
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