Page 12 The Moorabool News – 12 April, 2022
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A price rise that’ll wake you up By Lachlan Ellis It seems not even our beloved coffee is safe from inflated prices, with increased overheads blamed for a predicted price hike of up to $7.50 for a regular cup. Soaring shipping costs, and a cold snap in Brazil – which produces around 40 per cent of the world’s coffee – have been blamed for an increase in costs which local roasters and cafes are already feeling. Earlier this month, President of the Café Owners and Baristas Association of Australia, David Parnham, told the ABC that, compared to two years ago, shipping containers were now “nearly five times the price…due to global shortages of containers and ships to be able to take things around the world”. And while his company is feeling the pinch, owner of Gordon coffee roasters Karon Farm Coffee, Luke McPherson, said he wasn’t expecting coffee to reach the $7 – $7.50 a cup quoted by some sources, anytime soon. “I can’t see cafes charging $7.50 a cup, I don’t think they’d pass on that sort of price rise. The way it’s affecting us, the price of our green coffee, so our raw coffee, has risen from June last year by $5.61 [a kilo] on average, which is about a 50 per cent price rise,” he told the Moorabool News. “We have recently passed on a $2 a kilo increase in price, which doesn’t really even cover half of the price rise. But I’m crossing my fingers that the price starts to equalise a bit and starts to come down. I’m not a coffee bean trader, but it’s a
bit like the stock market, it fluctuates up and down through the year.” Smaller roasters will be hit earlier due to shorter-term contracts, McPherson added, with larger roasters able to capitalise on longer contracts drawn up before the price rise. “As a smaller coffee roaster, I think you just have to ride the wave. When you contract for coffee, you can forward contract 12 or 18 months in advance, but as a small coffee roaster, that’s not something I tend to do,” Mr McPherson said. “There’s not a real way, I don’t think, for a small business like mine to work their way through it – it’s more a cross your fingers and hope. Some of the bigger companies would have coffee they contracted 12 months ago, and they’d still be paying the same sort of prices.” Owner of Bacchus Marsh’s Little Lucky Café, Keely Hamilton, said she was optimistic that customer numbers wouldn’t be hit too hard. “At the moment, I’ve talked to our coffee supplier Locale, and they’re expecting to take on that additional cost, and not charge extra per kilo. So, for the moment our prices won’t rise, but it’s probably only a matter of time, it’s kind of inevitable,” Ms Hamilton said. “I think for the most part it’ll stay the same, as long as we can keep our prices competitive with everyone else. We shouldn’t see too much of a loss, but people might be more likely to go somewhere like McDonald’s instead of somewhere like us to save money…but we hope not.”
Three premiership wins Ballan Brumbies Basketball It was Grand Final weekend in the Ballarat Basketball Association and Ballan Brumbies were well represented by five teams. Commiserations to the Under 16 boys and girls, who fought bravely but went down in narrow contests. The Under 14 boys and girls had exciting wins, as well as the Under 19 boys, our match of the week. With only one loss for the season, Phoenix Hornets came into this showdown as heavy favorites, though Ballan’s huge front line was always going to prove troublesome. So it proved as Ethan Boland, Josh Rofe and Tristan Curwen-King were a constant menace on the boards. Surprisingly, given the offensive leanings of both sides the game The U14 Ballan boys won their Grand Final match on Saturday 2 April. began - and remained - as an Photo - submitted almost stereotypical Grand Final to take advantage of the extra space but wasn’t getting the defensive struggle, neither side willing to give an inch. benefit of the whistle. After voicing his displeasure with Ballan got the better of the start through star guards a non-call he was given a technical foul, disqualifying Noah Young and Angus Newman who both scored on him from the remainder of the game, the scores tied at the break with Boland converting a put back layup. For 22. Phoenix, Taylor Emmins and Dan Schmidt were able to Emmins was unable to convert the free throws for answer Ballan’s initial run. Phoenix, who’s task was made all the harder when Rofe’s high energy style was creating havoc for Phoenix, Schmidt fouled out with a minute remaining. the Ballan wing’s active defense creating deflections and With the game looking increasingly likely to head turnovers, setting Newman and the jet heeled Young on their way for numerous fast breaks. Unfortunately, to overtime, Ballan’s go-ahead basket came from an neither - Young in particular, though he still led Ballan unlikely source as defensively minded Curwen-King with nine points - were able to convert with their usual inhaled an offensive rebound, converting the put back to consistency in the opening half. Again, Boland and Rofe give Ballan a late two point lead. were impactful through their offensive rebounding and Phoenix pushed for the tying basket, somehow second chance points. gathering repeated offensive boards over Ballan’s big At the half Ballan led 12-9, the game very much in the front court before Rofe finally corralled the ball. He was balance. fouled and connected on one of his free throws, ending Phoenix came out strong in the second half, Schmidt the game. especially able to slice through the Brumbies defense In an upset, Brumbies took the Championship with a for a series of skillful floaters. At the other end, Ballan narrow and hard fought 25-22 victory. started to assert their physical dominance though not through their front line but rather their guards. RESULTS - Grand Finals As Phoenix began to tire Newman and Xavier Under 14 Boys: Ballan White 30 def Phoenix Taipans Winter started to penetrate the key. Winter’s incisive 30-26 playmaking setting up teammates well and Newman Under 14 Girls: Ballan White 28 def Saints Sky 28-21 repeatedly drawing contact, living at the foul line. Those Under 16 Boys: Ballan Blue 30 lost Phoenix Devils 33 fouls would prove a huge factor later in the game. With four minutes to play, Phoenix lost their first player Under 16 Girls: Ballan White 16 lost Wildcats Blue 23 when Darien Davies-Williams fouled out. Young looked Under 19 Boys: Ballan Red 25 def Phoenix Hornets 22
Luke McPherson roasting coffee at Karon Farm Coffee in Gordon. Photo - submitted
Rates feedback accepted By Lachlan Ellis Results of consultation on the Revenue and Rating Plan for Moorabool Shire Council has been accepted after a unanimous vote, with workshopping over the next month to shape rating models. At the April 6 Ordinary Meeting of Council, a report on the Rate Strategy Review and the community’s feedback both came before Council. Previously, Council adopted the ‘Rating Propositions Paper’ at its February Ordinary Meeting and put it out for community feedback, which closed at 5pm on 6 March 2022, with 53 people taking the survey. The Rating Propositions Paper proposed three options for rates differentials: Option 1 - Make no change to the current differential categories and associated rating levels. Option 2 - Decrease the farmland differential from 78% to a range between 70% and 65% and extractive industries from 312% to a range between 280% and 260% of general rates and make no change to the other differential categories. Option 3 - Introduce a municipal charge of between $100 and $200 and make no change to the current differential categories and associated rating levels. 20 respondents did not choose any of the model options, but of the remaining 33, 23 people picked Option 2, while 8 chose Option 1, and 2 chose Option 3. Two speakers, David Marnie and Kate Sharkey, thanked Council for conducting the survey, while also suggesting improvements. “I just want to say I strongly support Option 2, which will provide a small relief to farmers. I think it’s important in a peri-urban area that we have especially support for farming enterprises,” Mr Marnie said.
“But I do think it would be endemic for Council to consider other options, particularly options that exist in neighbouring councils such as Melton and the City of Greater Geelong. Particularly in Melton there is the Rural Rebate Scheme, for farmers that control noxious weeds and vermin.” Ms Sharkey said she was pleased by the community support for Option 2, though she had hoped for a more open and community-oriented review. “I do support Council endorsing the community feedback. It’s interesting to see there has been some good support for Option 2 to give some minimal decrease in the differential for farm and extractive sectors,” Ms Sharkey said. “The small decrease we possibly could get through the differential really won’t even offset the huge spike in the rate rise we got last year, and indeed probably won’t even put a dent in the rise we’ll get this year.” Ms Sharkey said Councillors told her there would be the opportunity for the community to put forward alternative models, beyond the three options in the Rating Propositions Paper. “Clearly those options were never given…my feedback is that while it’s a good step in the right direction, it’s a bit of showboating...it really won’t do much, the real issue I have is the way the review was done,” she said. Cr Tonia Dudzik moved the motion for Council to receive the community feedback, which was seconded by Cr David Edwards and approved unanimously. Council will meet with the Valuer General and hear from Council officers next week, and on April 20 there will be a final workshop, with decisions to be adopted at the 4 May Ordinary Meeting of Council.