Nobody likes being overcharged.
Only last week I was swindled out of almost $10 buying drinks at the pub, and it certainly got my back up.
I complained of course, and the barman saw the error of his ways and corrected what was a genuine mistake.
So as a gesture of goodwill I bought another round – hooray!
But a lesson was learned – vigilance pays dividends when it comes to paying a bill.
And the new land valuations are no exception.
Unfortunately, land valuations in several key Queensland farming areas have surged by up to 178 per cent recently (on the back of improved confidence in the sector and favourable seasonal conditions) and the hikes could see farmers slugged with higher council rates and leasehold fees.
To make matters worse, these unimproved values are done by mass appraisal, not individually, so errors can occur.
Importantly, the responsibility for ensuring these values are correct lies with landowners – not local governments – and AgForce is urging Queensland landholders not to delay if they spot a mistake.
There is still time to raise an objection, but it must be lodged with the Valuer-General by 16 May.
