ONGOING regional and rural outrage at the Victorian Government’s new emergency services levy spilled onto Melbourne’s streets last week as farmers and volunteer firefighters blocked the West Gate Bridge and then took their protest to the steps of Parliament House in Spring Street.
Farmer Rob Armstrong, one of the key speakers on the day, claimed farmers are being harshly and unfairly lumped with another tax burden.
He has been supported by the Victorian Farmers Federation, The Nationals members for Mildura and Murray Plains and the Victorian Opposition leader Brad Battin.
Mr Armstrong said it is not viable for farmers to foot the bill for the new tax.
The State Government’s new emergency services levy has been introduced to replace the existing fire services levy already attached to land rates in Victoria.
The changed tax, which the government said would cover all emergency services, is likely to cost some farmers tens of thousands of dollars.
“It stops farmers employing people because they’ve got to pay a bill to the government for $80,000 – well, there’s someone’s wage,” Mr Armstrong told the meeting.
“I find it really hard to believe a government would think this was a good idea, especially when much of the state is in drought.”
Under the existing levy, and the proposed new one, primary production land is taxed at a higher rate.
The government said money raised – which is in the region of $2 billion – will go towards fire services, the SES, state control centre and Triple Zero.
Premier Jacinta Allan has said her government is introducing the new levy to increase support for emergency services, bringing funding to all the state emergency services for the first time in a similar way to the fire services.
However, farmers and the Opposition are suggesting the tax will simply increase costs without showing any measurable returns to the regional frontline through the CFA.
They said there was a long list, which has been waiting a long time, for new CFA stations and machinery across the state and nothing is happening to solve that problem.
VFF president Brett Hosking said the unfair proposed tax hike has sparked unity among farmers, firefighters, regional councils, and Victoria’s business community, who are all campaigning against the tax and calling for it to be dumped.
“This tax is unfair, unnecessary, and completely out of step with what Victorians expect from their government,” he said.
“It’s time for the community to raise their voice and let politicians know they won’t stand for yet another hit to the household and business bottom line.”
Opposition leader Brad Battin, who attended the rally, told media: “There are farmers here struggling each and every day because of the drought that many people will not even talk about, and then the government wants to throw another tax at them.
“This tax must be stopped and never get put back on the table.”
