Protect Our Farms secretary Rae Clark said it was encouraging that four of the newly elected councillors received the highest ratings in the group’s voting guide, reflecting a shared commitment to elective governance and the wellbeing of agricultural communities.
“The new council brings substantial change, with a majority of fresh faces and only two returning members, demonstrating a strong call from residents for change,” Ms Clark said.
“Coupled with the recent resignation of Mitchell Shire CEO Brett Luxford, this presents a unique opportunity for Mitchell Shire Council to reassess its priorities and approaches.”
Landowner, farmer and ratepayer Lyndon Arnel said the change in council offered a timely opportunity to reassess the Landscape Assessment Study and its recommendations to introduce Significant Landscape Overlays.
“The LAS was endorsed by the previous council but only narrowly, passed by a single vote and accompanied by numerous conditions,” Ms Arnel said.
“These conditions include further consultation, benchmarking and significant revisions, highlighting substantial flaws in the original study and consultation process.”
“These factors underscore the need for a thorough review of both the the LAS and the SLO proposal itself.
“Protect Our Farms is optimistic that the new council will take this opportunity to carefully reconsider the proposed SLOs, address the identified issues and prioritise the perspectives of those most affected.
“Protect Our Farms urges the new council to engage transparently and constructively with farmers and other stakeholders.
“Ensuring that the voices of community members are central to any policy decisions impacting agricultural land is essential for fostering trust and achieving balanced outcomes.
“Protect Our Farms looks forward to collaborating with the new council to promote policies that support sustainable agriculture and respect the rights and livelihoods of the farming community,”
Protect Our Farms created a voting guide for the 2024 Mitchell Shire Council elections to encourage residents to support candidates committed to strong governance and the needs of the rural community.
“The campaign was a great vehicle to educate the community about the significance of farming in Mitchell Shire,” Ms Clark said.
“We believe ratepayers are much better informed about our issues.”
