In an effort to “scrap the tax”, Nationals party MPs have made the rounds in the Euroa electorate.
To gauge the response of local CFA and SES volunteers to the ESVF, State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland was joined by Shadow Emergency Services Minister Danny O’Brien on Wednesday, May 7, for a tour of SES and CFA stations in Benalla, Euroa and Seymour.
The meeting held at the Benalla CFA Station was well attended by volunteers.
“Volunteers within our emergency services are understandably concerned and uncertain about the benefits this tax will bring,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Our brigades and units are still holding raffles for basic gear, while Labor is planning to funnel the money raised from this tax to Melbourne-based bureaucracies that already receive significant taxpayer funding.
“Instead of taxing our regional communities, this government should ensure our frontline volunteers are receiving the facilities, equipment, and support they need to keep our towns safe.”
Changes under the ESVF are set to kick off from July 1.
The ESVF will replace the previous Fire Services Property Levy, which was introduced in 2013.
The FSPL comprises fixed charges for landholders, with $132 charged to owners of residential properties and $267 to non-residential, and a variable component calculated based on a property’s capital improved value.
Through the ESVF, these variable rates are set to be higher.
The Nationals launched the Scrap the Tax campaign to oppose the ESVF, with the concern that it would be detrimental to regional Victorians.
“When you’re looking at farmers that are about to have a 189 per cent increase in their Emergency Services Fund, we are going to see people go broke,” Ms Cleeland said.
“We’re going to see farms crippled, businesses crippled, and I don’t see any benefit to our amazing volunteer emergency services.”
In the lead-up to the meetings, Ms Cleeland took to social media to share some “concerning news”.
Ms Cleeland said she was made aware of communications allegedly sent out to CFA members to discourage them from attending the meetings.
“They’ve said CFA is an apolitical organisation and so volunteers should not be attending,” she said on a video posted to her Facebook page on Monday, May 5.
“I just cannot explain how much that has riled me today.”
Mr O’Brien said the tax was a result of the Victorian Government’s mismanagement of money.
“This really is an insidious tax, and we are up for the fight on this,” he said.
“This tax is directly hurting our regional communities, our farmers and our small businesses, many of whom are volunteers themselves.
“This is coming at a time where our farmers and regional towns can least afford it and will only compound the challenges we are facing with weather and rising costs.
“Labor can’t manage money and regional Victorians are paying the price.”
The Ensign reached out to the Department of Emergency Services for comment, but did not receive a response.
For more information on the ESVF, visit https://tinyurl.com/5ev4shyz
To have your say on the The Nationals’ Scrap the Tax campaign, head to https://tinyurl.com/5n7n45d2
