Volume 40, Wednesday 25 October 2023

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1909

VOL. 115

NO. 40

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WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 25, 2023

ANZAC honour

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PRICE $1.50 INC GST

James Scott Reunion

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Ready to make a splash!

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Scottsdale Aquatic Centre will officially re-open this weekend with a free BBQ on Friday to celebrate the season ahead. And in a world of cost increases, the Dorset Council has agreed to reduce the cost of swimming lessons for the community. T R EAD MORE, PAGE 2. • Theresa Kettle, Kate Singline, Tessa Walters, Kallum Prehn, Jesse Farrell, Halle Walters, Hamish Bennett with Rachel Burke, Saffron Bennett and Jane Kilburn. Pic by Milly Kilburn.

“Disgraceful” fire levy increase to hit hard BY RACHEL WILLIAMS A FIGHT is brewing between local councils and the State Government over major changes to the way money is raised to fund fire and emergency services. Break O’Day Mayor Mick Tucker is furious at the proposal that could see rural residents across the North-East region slugged significantly.

While Dorset Council is conducting modelling on what the impact will be in its municipality, Cr Tucker said an average St Helens residence could face an increase of between 69.1 per cent and 181.9 per cent. An average commercial business could face a hit of an increase of between 570.9 per cent and 632.8 per cent in what he as labelled a disgraceful process to adequately fund the important service.

The fire levy is collected through councils via the rates process and the money is then provided to the government. Levies are calculated differently at each council – some are based on a property’s capital value and some are based on an Assessed Annual Value, which is the estimated yearly rental value of a property. Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management, Felix Ellis, said the change

aims to better equalise rates across the State “to make it fair”. Mr Ellis said he was acting on the findings of multiple independent reviews to establish a “simple, fair and sustainable funding model”. Dorset Commissioner Andrew Wardlaw said the options paper suggested the fire levy be varied based on land classification, T STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 3.

Simon Wood MP Liberal Member for Bass 6777 1007

Woody4Bass

Authorised by S. Wood, 139A Hobart Road, Kings Meadows


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