FURY and concern have beset the Victorian Government from Mitchell Shire’s local farmers, ratepayers and council, who have expressed concern over the new Emergency Services and Volunteer Levy to be implemented from July 1.
Announced with Member for Northern Victoria, and Treasurer Jaclyn Symes’ first Budget looming, which will be released in full today, the controversial levy was pushed through to be legislated on Friday night, with Labor gaining key support from the Greens.
Through the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, $110 million is set to be invested for a rolling fleet replacement program for the SES, CFA and Fire Rescue Victoria.
The Darraweit Guim CFA brigade, among others across the state, was set to be a recipient of a new medium tanker thanks to the fund.
Other initiatives saw the reduction of the variable rate for Primary Production Land from 83 cents per $1000 Capital Improved Value to 71.9 cents, while 95 per cent of SES and CFA funding would also come through the fund.
However, the news of tax hikes, particularly heavy tax hikes for farmers, was met with anger from rural residents across the state, particularly farmers who double up as CFA firefighters.
Furthermore, farmers across the Mitchell Shire have also found anger in the announcement of a new drought support package—one which does not include the Mitchell Shire area.
Instead, the program, which has already been rolled into 11 local government areas in southwest Victoria, will be accessed through townships in West Wimmera, Horsham Rural City, Northern Grampians, Hepburn, Moorabool, Ballarat, Towong, Mornington Peninsula, Bass Coast, Cardina, Baw Baw, Casey, South Gippsland and French Island.
A mass rally of farmers, firefighters and CFA volunteers is being planned on the steps of Parliament House today, potentially disrupting the Budget.
Hundreds of fire brigades all across Victoria have recently gone offline in protest of the new laws.
The changes to the levy mean all sectors will be affected.
The Mitchell Shire Council’s (MSC) estimations mean residential ratepayers face a 35 per cent increase, with commercial ratepayers facing a 70 per cent increase.
Primary producers, including farmers, will have the biggest increase, however, facing an estimated 150 per cent increase in the levy, which means an extra tax of $13 per week.
MSC says there will be a cost burden, leading to them joining with the Municipal Association of Victoria’s stance on the levy.
“MSC has raised concerns about the Victoria Government’s new Emergency Services and Volunteer Levy, which is set to significantly increase the financial burden on ratepayers in Mitchell Shire,” it said.
“While Council acknowledges the need for increased funding for emergency services, it strongly believes the current levy will result in unfair outcomes for ratepayers and force Local Government to have a greater responsibility as a tax collection arm of the Victorian Government.
“The cost burden for Mitchell Shire ratepayers, which they will see on their rates notice, is significant. The Fire Services Levy generated approximately $7.08 million from Mitchell Shire ratepayers in the 2024/25 financial year, providing funds to the State Government for emergency services.
“Under the new Emergency Services and Volunteer Levy, the cost to Mitchell Shire ratepayers is expected to increase to approximately $10 million.
“Council supports the Municipal Association of Victoria’s advocacy on this levy and has serious concerns about the impact these increases will have on rural and farming communities, who are already struggling with the challenges of drought, cost of living, and the broader economic pressures faced by the agricultural sector.”
MSC Mayor Councillor John Dougall called for the Victorian Government to re-evaluate the decision.
“The reality is this levy is an unfair financial burden on our communities, particularly our farmers and rural residents. It’s putting an added strain on people already struggling in tough economic times,” he said.
“This increased levy must be re-examined immediately. Local government should not be asked to do more work collecting and administering taxes on behalf of the Victorian Government.
“This is an example of a system that fails to understand the unique challenges of our region. We will continue to push the State Government to find fairer and more equitable solutions that protect our communities from policies that place unfair and disproportionate pressure on them.”
While the MSC questions the levy, farmers, particularly those who served as part of the CFA, are outright angry with the new levy.
Retired firefighter Paul Flemming, formerly of the Broadford CFA, is one such farmer who is furious with the increased levy, particularly given how much the Mitchell Shire misses out on funding for drought recovery.
“The levy has landed such a huge increase at a time where we’re in the middle of a drought,” he said.
“My Fire Services Levy would run close to $5000 [next year], and that’s up from about $1200 last year. It’s an absolute disgrace.”
Of particular interest to Mr Flemming is that veteran firefighters would miss out on an exemption.
“Someone who has worked 30 of your younger years with the fire brigade is not eligible for an exemption, they are only available for active volunteers and life members,” he said.
“All the older ones who have been fighting fires for many years, because we’re no longer active firefighters, we get nothing. The exemptions are bugger all in terms of what the total impact of what this thing will be.”
The levy comes as the new emergency drought funding package has also been delivered.
However, farmers across the Mitchell Shire, including Mr Flemming, are furious that the $15.9 million care package doesn’t cater for the area, instead focusing on areas which are at their driest in recorded history.
“The drought relief is certainly not being provided for Mitchell Shire, it’s essentially been left out of the drought area,” he said.
“If a farmer is having to feed their cows, a cow will be fed 100 kilograms of hay in a week if they’re on fair ground like they are at the moment. Those 100 kilograms is a tenth of a tonne, a tonne costs $350, and it costs $35 a week to feed a cow. You can imagine the costs some people are racking up with, say, 100 cows. Then they have this coming along. It’s not good enough.”
