Mildura council to vote on redistribution of rates

Mildura council will consider changes to rates, an EV charging policy, and renewable energy advocacy at its next meeting. Find out what else is on the agenda.

Mildura business owners and farmers could be shouldered with an increased rates burden, depending on a council vote ton Thursday.

Mildura Rural City Council recently asked for community feedback on changes to how the rates pie would be divided.

Residents were presented with two options: one with no change and another which would levy higher rates on businesses and farmers.

Mildura Rural City Council office.

Despite 62 per cent of respondents being in favour of no changes, it was still recommended by a council officer that the rates be increased for businesses and farmers.

Should the council vote in favour of the changes, farmers would see their rates increase by 14 per cent, and businesses by 10 per cent.

The council will also consider several motions to do with renewables and electric vehicles.

It will, for instance, vote on the adoption of an electric vehicle charging infrastructure policy, which would aim to keep the city in line with a zero emissions by 2040 goal by driving investment in EV charging infrastructure.

The policy sets out a consistent approach to installing EV chargers on council-owned land, seeking to position Mildura as one of the most EV-friendly municipalities in the country.

The council will also consider adopting the ‘Solar Capital of Australia’ renewable energy advocacy paper, which argues for further investment in electricity transmission and distribution, as well as more funding for households, businesses, and governments to continue to take on renewable energy and battery storage technologies.