Ward Welcomes Kiama Council's Decision to Help Our Farmers

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward MP has today welcomed a decision by Kiama Municipal Council to provide emergency drought relief from rates and charges to our local farmers who may not satisfy its normal Hardship Policy.

Mr Ward said he was extremely pleased with Kiama Council’s decision, following his call for all local Councils across our region to provide rate relief for our farmers who are doing it tough during the worst drought in a generation.

“Our farmers are doing it tough and this is very welcome news for them in this current drought, so I congratulate Kiama Council on this decision,” he said.

Kiama Municipal Council’s Hardship Policy provides flexibility to ratepayers who cannot meet their normal instalment payments.

The Policy also allows accrued interest on rates and charges to be written-off in some cases.

Farmers who fail to meet the requirements of the Hardship Policy, can now apply for emergency drought relief.

The relief provides periodic payment arrangements, with no interest charged on overdue amounts until 31st May 2019.

“Local farmers wanting to apply for emergency drought relief can access the form for Temporary Financial Hardship Application – Farmland, from Kiama Municipal Council’s website at: www.kiama.nsw.gov.au/your-council/forms and I would certainly encourage them to do so, as soon as possible,” Mr Ward concluded.