'Scrap the tax': angry firies, farmers shut down CBD

Perth Now

20-05-2025

Thousands of angry farmers and firefighters have descended outside the halls of power with one message.
"Scrap the tax," they shouted in unison outside Victoria's parliament on Tuesday as budget papers were being scrutinised inside.
Incensed with the state government's Emergency Services Levy, which replaces the Fire Services Property Levy from July 1 and raise an extra $2.1 billion for emergency services, the fire volunteers and farmers made their positions known.
Dozens of fire trucks lined Spring Street bumper to bumper in a show of numbers outside parliament as protesters waved signs reading, "I fight fires for free. Now I have to pay for that too" and "Farmers aren't cash cows".
The tax was originally projected to lift the average annual bill for residential home owners by $63 and $678 for primary producers, but last-minute changes lowered the rate for primary production land and introduced rebates for CFA and SES volunteers and life members.
Led by the United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall, many protesters rose at the crack of dawn and travelled from across the state to demand the levy be rescinded and a parliamentary inquiry into the policy.
"It is so wrong that the government actually raise a tax in your good name because this is not about you, it's about retiring state debt," Mr Marshall said.
The government had signalled a $600 million surplus in their 2025/26 budget, which the union secretary said was funded solely from the expanded tax.
Farmer and CFA volunteer of 39 years Rob Armstrong said the government's plan was just plugging a hole it had created, warning of more serious protest measures.
"If this government refuses to listen, we will stop the food from leaving the farms," Mr Armstrong told the crowd.
"Meat, vegetables, cereals, grains, a week at first, and if you don't listen, we'll do it again.
"Your food isn't grown in the supermarket. It's grown by us."
Firefighter and union delegate Lachlan Butterfield said the state's fire service is in crisis and needs proper funding.
"All they're doing is using our good name to redistribute funds off so they can use it elsewhere," he said.
CFA volunteer and cattle farmer Lyn Burleigh got up at 5am to make the two-hour train trip into the CBD from Terip Terip in the state's high country.
Ms Burleigh said the levy would devastate her community, impacting sporting clubs and community halls and result in an exodus of farmers who won't be able to sustain their operations.
Opposition Leader Brad Battin says he will ditch the expanded levy if the coalition wins government at the 2026 election.
"We will ensure that we cancel this tax and ensure our volunteers in the SES in the CFA and all other industries are supported," he said.
But Premier Jacinta Allan defended the move, saying the state's emergency services are being asked more and more to go out and protect the community in some of the most difficult conditions.
"They need additional support," she said on Tuesday.
"We've taken that existing levy and expanded it to provide them with that additional support."