Roxby Downs, Andamooka, and Woomera landholders may soon have to pay a levy to the South Australian Arid Lands (SAAL) Natural Resources Management (NRM) board to help fund programs that help manage natural resources.
The levy is proposed in the draft 10-year regional NRM plan for the Arid Lands region.
In an interview with The Roxby Downs Sun the SAAL NRM Board general manager John Gavin and presiding member Chris Reed explained why the levy was proposed.
“At the moment Roxby Downs and Coober Pedy are the only council areas in South Australia that aren’t paying a levy,” Mr Gavin said.
“The pastoral land holders in our region pay a levy, there is a levy, it’s just that it’s set at properties greater than 10 square kilometres.
“Everyone benefits from natural resources and therefore everyone should contribute to the management.”
He explained the levy would raise less than $100,000 across the region and last year the board spent $9.5 million in the region.
Mr Gavin said he understood many residents were not happy to pay the levy.
“No-one likes to pay a levy but we’ve had similar responses here as we have elsewhere in that people agree with what were trying to do, and we need to demonstrate to community where the value is.”
The intention is for the Roxby Downs Council to collect the levy on behalf of the SAAL NRM Board at the same time as residential rates.
If the proposed levy is approved all land holders in the region will have to pay $25 for the 2010/2011 financial year, followed by $35 the year after, with the intention to cap it at $50 in 2012/2013 onwards.
The pair explained what kind of programs the board did around the region to justify charging the levy.
“We have a couple of staff based here … we’ve supported educational programs with the school in Roxby Downs about the environment and provided educational kits to the teachers.
“We’ve supported groups with funding applications like APOMA (Andamooka Progrees and Opal Miners Association) in the past with weed control programs… we already do a lot and can do more but we need to be clear about how we can help the community and all of its underpinned by the fact everyone benefits from well managed resources.
Mr Reed also highlighted pest and weed management done here might not be noticed as much because work is being done on the outskirts to keep pests such as camels and dangerous weeds from getting in.
APOMA chairperson Peter Allen agrees with the levy but believes Andamooka should get what it is paying for.
“I suppose that on the basis every other ratepayer in the State pays the levy, it’s reasonable that we should too.
“That is the residents of the out of areas, Coober Pedy and Roxby Downs.
“My personal view is a flat $50 per annum set for the next three years rather than the proposed $25, $35, and $50 over the next three years.
“In the past the NRM Board have done little or nothing to support Andamooka, Andamooka self funded pest and weed eradication programs with a little help from BHP.
“To continue to self fund those programs and pay a levy to NRM on top would represent double dipping.
“The NRM Board recently approved a grant to Andamooka for a pest and weed eradication program commencing now. The grant was for $10,000.”
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