<div>HELP RIGHT THIS INJUSTICE!!
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<div>Mon and Tan the owners of formerly The Ballarat Mushroom Farm but more recently The Smythes Creek Farmgate have spent the last 4.5yrs helping, promoting local and Australian producers and products. It all started over Covid and was supported by Golden Plains Shire throughout Covid and beyond Covid.
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<div>They have had so many people asking how their change of use permit is going with Council and until now they have not said much because it's now in the hands of lawyers. Their loyal customers do deserve to know what is happening and after their first VCAT hearing they feel it is the time to let people know what's going on.
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<div>After 4.5yrs of a journey that has been life altering for Mon and Tan they are currently going through VCAT with lawyers from Melbourne because Golden Plains has decided to refuse their change of use permit.
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<div>Unfortunately, the amazing people at Golden Plains Shire that promoted and helped them support local and Australian producers through Covid have left and they are now dealing with people who have no interest in them being here.
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<div>They have spent around $100,000 doing all things that were ever asked of them to be allowed to operate for the last 4.5yrs. They were told a change of use permit for the Ballarat Mushroom Farm was just a formality that would need to be followed once covid was over. Yes, covid ended a couple of years ago now and yes, this has been going on ever since.
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<div>They have already spent so much trying to keep this little AMAZING COMMUNITY FARMGATE going, slowly but surely, they are being drained of everything they have and with Golden Plains Shire now employing solicitors they believe they will fight until Mon and Tan just can't afford to fight anymore. It seems to be what Council do. It is so wrong.
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<div>They love what they have created, the whole business model is about helping everybody afford good quality food but at the same time keeping Australian farmers viable by giving them what they deserve for their stock.
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<div>Their cheap feed Thursdays have become a massive hit, especially for single people and the elderly who love a home cooked meals but struggle to do it themselves. Mon and Tan do all the hard work and sell it at a fraction of the price of what is offered around them. This is what they do. They help people!!
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<div>This decision by Golden Plains Shire to refuse their change of use permit after allowing them to operate for the last 4,5yrs is going to affect so much more than just  their family. It is going to impact all those small producers that they give tens of thousands to every year to help keep afloat in such difficult times.
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<div>It will impact all the amazing people they see and provide for every week. They are one of only a few businesses locally that still have a very personnel connection with all their regular customers. They love what they do, and it shines through in what they have been allowed to create over the last 4.5yrs.
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<div>They are currently working with lawyers to work out what they do moving forward.
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<div>The options that they have is, they can spend $60000-$100000 fighting to stay where they are or they shut the doors and lose everything including their house because they have to pay the debt on the business (due to money spent keeping Council happy over covid and after covid ended), or the other option that the lawyers have them looking at is the possibility of moving.  Moving comes at another massive cost, everything they have spent over the last 4.5yrs is wasted and then they are expected to fund completely rebuilding their business at another location. 
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<div>Mon and Tan are guttered, devastated and have been emotionally and mentally drained by this process.
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<div>They will have a  2nd VCAT hearing date in coming weeks, but they face the real possibility that their change of use permit will be denied by VCAT based on the Councils submission and they would then lose the $60000-$100000 by trying to fight the refusal.
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<div>Their Lawyers have suggested they now look at all their options because they can’t afford to lose that much money again after having already spent around $100,000 doing everything that was asked of them by Council. Not many people in this day and age can.
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<div>Mon and Tan have worked so hard to build this Farmgate from the ground up. Not once has Council asked the community what they want (they know the support for them is overwhelming). Mon and Tan have asked for Golden Plains Shire Planning on numerous occasions to please have an onsite meeting in regards to this and not once has their request been granted.
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<div>The refusal is based around them not falling within the the guidelines of the planning scheme. If this is the case then WHY have the Council allowed this farmgate to operate for 4.5yrs. It is a disgrace and the ratepayers money is being wasted on trying to shut a small business down. Golden Plains actually promote the girls business on their website as one of the local businesses that locals should support. None of this sudden change of heart by the Council makes any sense to anyone you talk to about this and I want to see if we can all donate a dollar to help them try and save their business. They spent so much time saving a lot of small businesses over Covid and NOW it is our turn to try and HELP The Smythes Creek Farmgate continue on for many years to come and keep supporting not only local producers but also passionately promoting supporting Australian products!!!
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<div>COME ON EVERYBODY
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<div>PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
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<div>GET BEHIND THESE HARD WORKING, KIND AND GENEROUS LADIES.
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<div>They DO NOT deserve this treatment from Golden Plains Shire
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