The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has compiled a petition with more than 3000 signatures calling for an inquiry into municipal rates and the sustainability of rural councils.

“Farmers are frustrated at bearing an ever-greater share of the municipal rates burden,” VFF president Peter Tuohey said.

“We have farmers paying up to $40,000 a year in rates at Bass Coast Shire and others where the average farmer is paying $11,000 annually in the Buloke Shire.

“This is not an attack on local government. It’s a petition calling for action to find a long-term solution to many rural and regional councils’ funding.” The VFF local government petition was tabled in State Parliament this week, by National Party MP Paul Weller, who is a supporter of an inquiry.

The petition calls on government and opposition MPs to support an inquiry “into the fairness and equity of the local government rating system in rural and regional areas to find a more equitable way to apply rates to farmers”.

Road funding and its allocation by state and federal governments has come under scrutiny from the VFF, highlighting the inequity between densely-populated urban councils and larger rural counterparts, especially in the Wimmera.

“We have at least 18 shires, such as Hindmarsh, Towong, Buloke, Ararat, West Wimmera and Yarriambiack, which are battling to maintain vast local road networks, bridges and other assets,” Mr Tuohey said.