AgForce: Not too late to dispute disappointing land valuations

Unsatisfied with your land valuation numbers? There’s still time to dispute. One regional leadership body is urging property owners to steps forward sooner rather than later.

Darling Downs landowners who have been rocked by new land valuation numbers have been told to fight back.

AgForce has issued a warning to landholders, urging them not to hesitate if they wish to object the valuations.

Toowoomba’s 68,057 properties came to a total value of $17,571,682,149 in the Toowoomba Regional Council area with several suburbs median land value increasing significantly.

The Valuer General released new valuations on Wednesday in the following 25 local government areas: Balonne, Banana, Barcaldine, Barcoo, Blackall-Tambo, Bulloo, Burdekin, Central Highlands, Charters Towers, Cook, Diamantina, Gladstone, Gympie, Isaac, Longreach, Maranoa, Murweh, Paroo, Quilpie, Somerset, Southern Downs, Tablelands, Toowoomba, Western Downs and Whitsundays.

AgForce CEO Michael Guerin said objections must be lodged with the Valuer-General by May 31.

“Unimproved values determine what council rates rural landholders pay and are also used to calculate leasehold rents, so it’s important the figures are right,” Mr Guerin said.

“In recent years, AgForce has assisted many members secure significant reductions in valuations, resulting in large savings, and once again we are ready to assist with our free workshops to help Members assess their valuations and find out more about the objection process.

“AgForce has also prepared a property map for each member property potentially affected by this year’s valuations.”

AgForce’s valuer John Moore said responsibility for ensuring values were correct lay with landowners, not local governments.

“Unimproved values are done by mass appraisal, meaning your property isn’t individually valued so errors can occur,” Mr Moore said.

“It’s important you object to your new valuation if you believe the unimproved value is too high, because it could result in large savings in rates or rent.

“But you only have until the end of May to do so, so I urge landowners to begin the process today.”