Opposition planning spokesman Matthew Guy and Liberal candidate for Monbulk Matt Mills discuss concerns of local farmers Bob Sanders and Leo Koelewin.
By Russell Bennett
HILLS farmers say planning red-tape is costing them money.
Growers met in Silvan last week to air their grievances to opposition planning spokesman Matthew Guy and Liberal candidate for Monbulk Matt Mills.
Apple grower Peter Burgi said some farmers were ignoring legal requirements for planning permits when they built sheds and put up netting to protect their produce from animal attacks.
“It’s because the farmers are too frustrated with the wait,” he said.
“They just can’t afford not to put up protection because they’re losing produce and therefore money.”
Mr Burgi said he was disappointed in government from local to federal levels.
“No level of government is willing to stand up and help us,” he said. “Under these circumstances there’s no way we can compete with the larger-scale farming operations.
“They’re running riot.”
A sticking point for the farmers at the meeting was that much of their land lies in green wedge areas.
Fruit farmer Steve Chapman, 52, proposed the notion of a farming zone to help growers on green wedge land in their standard practices.
“For example, every time we start our sprayer, neighbours down the back complain despite the fact they’re 500 meters away,” he said.
“All the issues like that are just making it really hard to farm at all around here.”
Mr Guy said the State Government created problems for farmers by not having an ‘urban interface’ – a zone between operational farming and urban or more residential areas.
“Farming isn’t a nine to five job, it’s just not that simple,” he said.
“And farmers can’t even get out because they can’t subdivide their green wedge land.”
Nurseryman Leo Koelewin, 60, laid the blame for local growers’ problems more at the planning department’s feet.
“I think I speak for most of us when I say we’d be happy to pay a consultant or town planner to get the wheels in motion (for permits),” he said.
“A couple of grand for that is nothing in the scheme of things.”
The State Government said planning permits ensure consistent development and do not penalise growers unfairly.
