State Attorney-General Kyam Maher will be asked to change legislation in order for greater council rates to be levied on the Woakwine Range wind farms and the vast local pine plantations.

The request is coming from Wattle Range Council as it believes these two sectors should bear a greater share of the rate burden.

The council wants Mr Maher to be present at a meeting in Adelaide along with its Mayor Des Noll, chief executive Ben Gower, Valuer-General Katherine Bartolo and Independent MacKillop MP Nick McBride.

According to the successful motion submitted by Councillor John Drew, the capital city meeting would further discuss the council concerns.

The Adelaide meeting would also seek government legislation that would enable Wattle Range Council to decrease the rate burden on residents, farmers and commerce by adjusting the rating system to more accurately reflect the current value of forests and wind power generators in particular.

Speaking to his motion, Cr Drew also sought the support of local media with this issue.

Cr Drew said Wattle Range Council was disadvantaged in raising rates from the wind turbine, pine plantations and the 200 former Housing Trust houses in Millicent which are now managed by Unity Housing.

In his monthly report to council, Mayor Noll said the current concern in regard to the rate differential rating valuation between Primary Production and Forestry is a legislative change.

“Being that we are the only forestry region within the state that this has become a concern, legislative change would require a significant amount of political will,” Mayor Noll said.

“There are various complexities connected to land valuations and many of the complexities are not generally understood.

“Let’s remember since the Wattle Range Council has taken this issue up with the Valuer-General an increase of forestry rating has been forthcoming.

“There has been much discussion with various politicians concerning this and I addressed it with Mr McBride recently.”