Ararat Rural City councillors have raised issues with the application form for potential members of a ratings strategy ‘jury’.
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Farmers within Ararat Rural City and the Victorian Farmers Federation campaigned against the council’s attempt last year to abolish a rates discount for primary producers.
Some councillors told Tuesday night’s meeting that the application presented to ‘jurors’ in the second additional layer of community consultation over rates could create the appearance of bias against farmers.
According to the council, the jury will be a representative group of people, picked at random, that will directly influence decisions on future rating strategies.
25 people will be selected across a range of demographics that represent the various Ararat Rural City communities and rate payers.
Selected jurors will be provided with access to Ararat Rural City rating information and given time to reach informed, consensus style recommendations in a process designed by representatives of newDemocracy Foundation.
Cr Peter Beales said he was concerned that the forms asked if the applicant derived their primary income from agriculture.
"There is no attempt to identify people working in other industries, such as manufacturing, which is also a major employer," Cr Beales said.
Cr Beales said he was concerned that the process would not really be random.
Ararat Rural City chief executive Allan Bawden said it was a necessary step due to the nature of the information to be presented, and he did not want to assume that those living outside town would be farmers.
Deputy mayor Gwenda Allgood said she was also concerned about the form and said it would have been better for councillors to have seen the form prior to publication.
"It's going down a track I'm not happy about," she said.
"This is getting messier and messier."
Mr Bawden said the jury was being put together by a third party foundation and was at "arms length" form the council.
Mayor Glenda McLean asked if it is possible for the chief executive to see the final list of 25 jurors.
Cr Beales said he just hoped the process of selection was "pure".
"If you have 24 out of 25 being in suits and male, it's not random," he said.
"If it asks something like 'are you in farming or public service?', then fair enough."
Cr Armstrong said the form created the appearance of bias against farming ratepayers.
"In hindsight, this document could have been better designed," she said.
Cr Jo Armstrong said the request for Ararat Rural City to form a rating strategy jury came from Victoria's Local Government Minister.
Ararat Rural City hopes to have a pool of 200 people to select jury members from by April 2.
To register, go to the council office or www.newdemocracy.com.au/rsvp.