Baw Baw Shire Council has written to the Victorian Treasurer to formally oppose the recently legislated Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF), following a Notice of Motion (NoM) raised by West Ward Councillor Ben Lucas at the 27 May Council meeting.
The NoM, supported unanimously by Councillors, resolved that Council advocate to the Victorian Government to:
- repeal the levy
- undertake genuine consultation with affected communities, and
- develop a more equitable funding mechanism to support emergency services across Victoria.
The letter, sent by Mayor Cr Danny Goss, urged state treasurer, The Hon Jaclyn Symes, to repeal the legislation in its entirety and to re-examine the ESVF's structure, implementation and impact.
"Baw Baw Shire Councillors are united in their view that the levy is unfair and poorly targeted, and fundamentally unjust," Cr Goss said.
Council has appealed to the Victorian Government to work collaboratively and transparently with regional communities to develop funding mechanisms that support, rather than burden emergency service volunteers and regional Victorians.
The 27 May Council meeting attracted a large crowd of frustrated local farmers, emergency service volunteers and community members gathering to protest the ESVF which replaces the current Fire Services Property Levy.
The new levy will see an increased cost to all ratepayers, in particular primary producers and commercial property owners, many who are also emergency service volunteers. The legislation, passed by the Legislative Council on 16 May, has prompted a swell of similar protests and community campaigns around the state.
As the legislation compels councils to collect the levy on behalf of the State, many local governments around Victoria have banded together to formally oppose the ESVF.
On 17 May, councils submitted motions condemning the levy to the Municipal Association of Victoria's (MAV) State Council. A consolidated motion was passed expressing the local government sectors disappointment and requesting that the Victorian Government reconsider the ESVF collection model.
On 30 May, under strong pressure from thousands of protesters around regional Victoria, the Victorian Government announced a temporary backdown on the levy and pledged statewide funding for struggling farmers. The government will cap the ESVF levy at the 2024/25 rate for all primary production properties across the state for the coming financial year.
The government pledged $37.7 million in additional funding for farmers struggling with drought conditions making farm infrastructure grants of $5,000 available for farmers across the state.
