Mayoral candidate and Ag representative go head-to-head over farm rates

Incumbent mayor Jack Dempsey has tried to discount a campaign launched against his re-election by the Executive Director of the Bundaberg Ag Food and Fibre Alliance.

Dale Holliss and Jack Dempsey have gone head-to-head over rates concerns shared by Bundaberg farmers.

Eagle-eyed Bundaberg residents may have spotted a slew of signage across the region calling on locals to ‘Vote NO to Jack Dempsey as Mayor’ at the upcoming local government election with the man behind the campaign sharing his reasons why.

The Executive Director of the Bundaberg Ag Food and Fibre Alliance Dale Holliss shared his concerns for the upcoming election, commenting on previous rate rises for farmers which was “devastating on the primary producer sector.”

Mr Holliss said his concerns for seeing incumbent mayor Jack Dempsey re-elected stem from the 2020 rate rises on farmland which varied from a 50 per cent increase for 318 farms to one farming operation hit with a 235 per cent increase.

“Overall, the impact of this massive council rates rise was devastating on the Primary Producer sector, which is a cornerstone of the Bundaberg region economy, particularly as it came during a time of hardship,” he said.

“For some third and fourth-generation farmers in Bundaberg region, for the first time their rates bill became larger than their fuel, fodder or other essential bills.”

“For what reason? So that Jack Dempsey could give a massive pay rise to the CEO during Covid and the cost-of-living crisis, taking his current pay packet to $428,000 or around $8,200 per week, and support multimillion-dollar glory projects that had not been agreed to by the community.”

Mr Holliss claimed Mr Dempsey, in his position as mayor at the time of the rate rise failed to discuss the situation, even when approached by consortium of all four farmer groups from the Bundaberg region.

Dale Holliss has shared concerns held by farmers over future rate rises. PIC: Vanessa Hunter for The Australian

He claims further the rate rise was in direct opposition to assurances made by Mr Dempsey prior to the 2020 election that rate rises would be in line with CPI, allegedly going so far as to put the assurances into writing.

“Jack Dempsey tried to lay the blame on the Queensland Government’s Valuer-General’s Department for increasing land values, but the facts were – and are – that the council could have adjusted the cents in the dollar down to minimise the impact of the land valuations on rates rises,” Mr Holliss said.

“The decision was made instead to gouge Bundaberg region farmers.”

As the farmers of Bundaberg find themselves once again bracing for an expected rise of land valuations of up to 50 per cent on March 31, 2024 – according to discussions held with the Queensland Government’s Valuer-General’s Department – Mr Holliss has said many are concerned for a repeat of the 2020 rate rises.

“We fear the worst for our farmers, and for the communities they support, if Jack Dempsey is allowed to re-enact the 2020 rates gouging once again,” he said.

“We need the 2024 Bundaberg-elected councillors and Mayor – whoever it is – to reverse the high rates, including the massive cash grab made on farmers in 2020 and the reintroduction of the 10% discount for ALL ratepayers.

“Stop the massive and unwarranted spending on glory projects the community has not endorsed.”

“End the council-run and ratepayer-funded propaganda machine, Bundaberg Now, that itself is gouging a huge hole in Bundaberg region council funds.”

Jack Dempsey offered his own response to the campaign against him, which be believes to be unfairly, personally targeted against him.

Jack Dempsey has shared his frustration with the personal attacks surrounding the 2020 farm rates rise, a decision which was shared by the council as a whole. Pic John Wilson

The BAFFA has been a staunch advocate for Mr Dempsey’s mayoral opponent Helen Blackburn, and have donated thousands towards her campaign.
According to Mr Dempsey, the BAFFA share an address with the Bundaberg Regional Ratepayers Association, a group which has been vocal against the incumbent council and was overseen by former president Helen Blackburn.

When discussing the 2020 rate rise, Mr Dempsey claimed it would have been “unfair” to deal with the valuation rise in any other way.

“Despite that being a whole-of-council decision, the Bundaberg Ag-Food and Fibre Alliance are funding an expensive campaign which targets me personally,” he said.

“The 2020 rate increase was caused by a spike in valuations which applied to the agricultural sector because of a massive jump in rural property prices.”

“It would have been unfair to pass on the impact of that to residential ratepayers, pensioners and other businesses.”

Looking to the possibility of another term in office, Mr Dempsey said he has made commitments for future consultations “bring all stakeholders before a full Council” ahead of future budget discussions.

“I have also committed to push for capping in this particular category in consultation with stakeholders because of its importance to the economy and significance to the Bundaberg Region,” he said.

“I have committed to ensuring that we protect our agricultural land and the right to farm.”