“A cynical attack” – fire continues to burn over ESVF bill

LOCAL opposition of the recently passed Emergency Services Volunteer Fund (ESVF) reached boiling point at a parliament protest on Tuesday, with a strong Indigo Shire representation. The new levy is set to double or even triple charges for property owners across the state, with primary producers hit hardest – facing rate hikes of up to 150 per cent. The ESVF bill was passed in the upper house after a marathon parliamentary sitting last Thursday. Under the changes, a typical home valued at $1 million now attracts a $309 annual charge, while small businesses and farmers are paying thousands more without any guarantee that money will go to frontline services. Brigades and tankers from Chiltern, Rutherglen, Carlisle and Dederang CFA were among the chorus of lights and sirens parked at Spring Street on Tuesday as thousands of farmers and firefighters gatecrashed state budget day to protest the fund, set to kick in from 1 July. Chiltern CFA captain Shannon Beacom said it was a united front of not only farmers and firefighters, but concerned small business owners and council workers to challenge the tax. “It’s a tax that’s going to disadvantage every Victorian, particularly our farmers,” he said. “We want to scrap this tax but we also want to build some community education around it. “We would’ve had a bigger attendance at the rally but some of the local farmers; they’re spending five to six hours a day feeding stock and actually couldn’t spare time to get to the rally. “It was a big reason why the Chiltern brigade wanted to head down there, to support our counterparts who are doing it tough.” The Liberals and Nationals Parties announced on Tuesday they would scrap the ESVF if elected into government next year. Member for Benambra Bill Tilley said the tax affects every Victorian. “Farmers, many of whom are battling drought, are the hardest hit and their vocal protest and numbers willing to hit the steps of Parliament today was further proof of the inequity in this tax,” he said. “But this affects every household, renter and business – the increase was on every property.” Mr Tilley said the tax hike was a bigoted attack on people who don’t vote Labor. “I’ve asked the minister in the past to tell us where the existing Fire Service Levy money goes and got crickets,” he said. “Here they are renaming it and increasing the tax burden, particularly on rural property. “This was a cynical attack on people who don’t vote Labor, ripping money off us to pay for their train station monuments and tunnels in Melbourne.” The ESVF will be collected by councils and appear on rates notices. Indigo Shire Council, like many others across the state, have expressed their concerns around the ESVF, particularly its doubling of the levy rate and the burden it places on local councils to collect and administer.

“A cynical attack” – fire continues to burn over ESVF bill

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