An article in last month Lilydale Leader [18th July 2012 ] almost went unnoticed and few people made any mention or the seriousness of what happened to FIONA and Craig Mitchell of Belgrave and shows what does happen when State listerns to Council Planners and the Greens getting together to protect the environment but in so doing they also destroy ratepayers private wealth.

FIONA and Craig Mitchell's Belgrave home is now uninsured because their long time insurers, Australian Unity underwriters have withdrawn from providing insurance in Belgrave, Sassafras, Olinda and Monbulk due to the high fire risk of these heavily wooded areas and the bushfire risk was too great to cover them. The insurance company said an independent study [commissioned and based on Council research I bet] showed 80 per cent of Belgrave was a high fire risk, and it would not be renewing anyone's insurance policy in the area.

Few people may realise the serious consequential disavantages to all Yarra Ranges ratepayers but more particularly to homes and businesses in those non-insurable suburbs and the costs of conducting any businesses in those areas, when banks refuse to lend money unless they can get any form of insurance and this withdrawal of funds must result in substantial property price declines and substantial premium increases on insurance premiums offered by the few insurers who may still offer insurance. Property price drops will result in banks calling for a reduction of overdrafts and housing finance contracts causing a great deal of grief for many families in those areas.

Many businesses will need to pay an average but maybe higher General Fire, Contents & Public Liability insurance of about $100pw [ 50% of which are State charges] and this may result in a long painful demise of many varied businesses, some closing sooner, others taking longer to close. Property price falls will decrease the Yarra Ranges rateable collections for those areas and increase the rate in the $ for all other Yarra Ranges ratepayers. Everyone gets squeezed thand to the Red & Blue GREENS.