May 24th, 2025Emergency services levy impacts

A number of firefighters across regional Victoria have walked off the job after the state government passed its new emergency services levy late last week.

Other CFAs have said while they support the action, they will remain ready for their communities.

The action comes after government and crossbench politicians struck a deal with some amendments made to get the vote over the line.

The levy comes into effect on July 1 and will hit farmers hard, with them paying up to 150 per cent more than under the previous fire services levy.

Local farmers say the state’s Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) unfairly impacts regional communities already struggling with disturbingly dry conditions, and have been loudly calling for it to be abolished.

Replacing the Fire Services Property Levy, the new state government-imposed levy would significantly increase the amount collected from farmers in Victoria.

On Tuesday, May 6 About 300 people including local landholders from Clunes, Creswick and surrounds attended a meeting in Ascot near Clunes to discuss their significant concerns about the levy.

Speakers at the meeting said the levy particularly hurts farmers already struggling to cope with what is shaping as an alarming dry trend on the land.

Victorian councils also are “deeply reluctant” to enforce the state government’s increased emergency services levy as backlash from the agriculture sector intensifies.

The Victorian government’s Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund legislation passed through the Upper House last Thursday night and was met with outrage from some volunteer fire fighters.

The fund, which replaces the cheaper fire services levy, is designed to raise revenue for fire services, the State Emergency Service, triple-0 and the state control centre.

Councils across the state are now tasked with collecting the new tax from ratepayers from July 1, despite many local government bodies vehemently opposing the tax.

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) chair Shane Sali said he was worried some residents would simply refuse to pay the new line item.

Mr Sali said councils were uncertain as to how they were expected to collect and handle any issues with the levy payment.

Acting CFA chief officer Gary Cooks said firefighters were pleased the government had added some exemptions for volunteers and drought-affected farmers.

On Friday Premier Jacinta Allan said CFA volunteers and farmers in 24 shires eligible for state drought support would be “exempt” from having to pay the levy.

The government said the new tax was needed to fund emergency services to respond to an increasing number of calls for assistance for fires, floods and extreme weather events