CFA brigades go offline in protest of government levy
Country Fire Authority brigades across Victoria took themselves offline as the government pushed its divisive Emergency Services and Volunteers Levy through state parliament on May 15.
CFA members posted videos recording tanker after tanker calling into emergency dispatch on Thursday evening, with brigades across south-west, western and central Victoria going offline.
Most used the by-the-book excuse of having insufficient members to turn out.
"[We have] no manpower [so] out of action until further notice," one brigade said.
The government's levy has provoked a simmering backlash since it was announced in December 2024.
The levy will raise far more revenue than the Fire Services Levy it is replacing, but ratepayers will foot the extra bill, with regional residents suffering the heaviest burden.
Regional emergency volunteers - particularly farmers who are already grappling with a record drought and cost of living crisis - have staged multiple protests.
The government delayed its first attempt to push through the levy in April, but anger rose again on May 15 as it negotiated the parliamentary support it needed to pass the bill.
While tankers were going offline, some volunteers were quitting the CFA entirely.
Coghills Creek farmer Lachlan Wrigley hung his CFA uniform on his front fence in protest, posting on Facebook for others to do the same.
"Hanging it up- because we've been hung out to dry. With the passing of the new fire levy increase, this CFA uniform is now free to a good home," Mr Wrigley wrote.
"Jacinta Allan, you can keep your levy - we won't be responding to any fire, let alone the tragic road accidents you seem to have forgotten we also attend.
"If you feel the same, hang up your uniform and let them see how many of us are done being taken for granted #hungouttodry."
Social media communications showed VICSES volunteers discussing taking their units offline like the CFA.
One unit controller said he had tried to take his unit offline but had been denied by senior command.
Country Fire Authority brigades across Victoria took themselves offline as the government pushed its divisive Emergency Services and Volunteers Levy through state parliament on May 15.
CFA members posted videos recording tanker after tanker calling into emergency dispatch on Thursday evening, with brigades across south-west, western and central Victoria going offline.
Most used the by-the-book excuse of having insufficient members to turn out.
"[We have] no manpower [so] out of action until further notice," one brigade said.
The government's levy has provoked a simmering backlash since it was announced in December 2024.
The levy will raise far more revenue than the Fire Services Levy it is replacing, but ratepayers will foot the extra bill, with regional residents suffering the heaviest burden.
Regional emergency volunteers - particularly farmers who are already grappling with a record drought and cost of living crisis - have staged multiple protests.
The government delayed its first attempt to push through the levy in April, but anger rose again on May 15 as it negotiated the parliamentary support it needed to pass the bill.
While tankers were going offline, some volunteers were quitting the CFA entirely.
Coghills Creek farmer Lachlan Wrigley hung his CFA uniform on his front fence in protest, posting on Facebook for others to do the same.
"Hanging it up- because we've been hung out to dry. With the passing of the new fire levy increase, this CFA uniform is now free to a good home," Mr Wrigley wrote.
"Jacinta Allan, you can keep your levy - we won't be responding to any fire, let alone the tragic road accidents you seem to have forgotten we also attend.
"If you feel the same, hang up your uniform and let them see how many of us are done being taken for granted #hungouttodry."
Social media communications showed VICSES volunteers discussing taking their units offline like the CFA.
One unit controller said he had tried to take his unit offline but had been denied by senior command.
Country Fire Authority brigades across Victoria took themselves offline as the government pushed its divisive Emergency Services and Volunteers Levy through state parliament on May 15.
CFA members posted videos recording tanker after tanker calling into emergency dispatch on Thursday evening, with brigades across south-west, western and central Victoria going offline.
Most used the by-the-book excuse of having insufficient members to turn out.
"[We have] no manpower [so] out of action until further notice," one brigade said.
The government's levy has provoked a simmering backlash since it was announced in December 2024.
The levy will raise far more revenue than the Fire Services Levy it is replacing, but ratepayers will foot the extra bill, with regional residents suffering the heaviest burden.
Regional emergency volunteers - particularly farmers who are already grappling with a record drought and cost of living crisis - have staged multiple protests.
The government delayed its first attempt to push through the levy in April, but anger rose again on May 15 as it negotiated the parliamentary support it needed to pass the bill.
While tankers were going offline, some volunteers were quitting the CFA entirely.
Coghills Creek farmer Lachlan Wrigley hung his CFA uniform on his front fence in protest, posting on Facebook for others to do the same.
"Hanging it up- because we've been hung out to dry. With the passing of the new fire levy increase, this CFA uniform is now free to a good home," Mr Wrigley wrote.
"Jacinta Allan, you can keep your levy - we won't be responding to any fire, let alone the tragic road accidents you seem to have forgotten we also attend.
"If you feel the same, hang up your uniform and let them see how many of us are done being taken for granted #hungouttodry."
Social media communications showed VICSES volunteers discussing taking their units offline like the CFA.
One unit controller said he had tried to take his unit offline but had been denied by senior command.
Country Fire Authority brigades across Victoria took themselves offline as the government pushed its divisive Emergency Services and Volunteers Levy through state parliament on May 15.
CFA members posted videos recording tanker after tanker calling into emergency dispatch on Thursday evening, with brigades across south-west, western and central Victoria going offline.
Most used the by-the-book excuse of having insufficient members to turn out.
"[We have] no manpower [so] out of action until further notice," one brigade said.
The government's levy has provoked a simmering backlash since it was announced in December 2024.
The levy will raise far more revenue than the Fire Services Levy it is replacing, but ratepayers will foot the extra bill, with regional residents suffering the heaviest burden.
Regional emergency volunteers - particularly farmers who are already grappling with a record drought and cost of living crisis - have staged multiple protests.
The government delayed its first attempt to push through the levy in April, but anger rose again on May 15 as it negotiated the parliamentary support it needed to pass the bill.
While tankers were going offline, some volunteers were quitting the CFA entirely.
Coghills Creek farmer Lachlan Wrigley hung his CFA uniform on his front fence in protest, posting on Facebook for others to do the same.
"Hanging it up- because we've been hung out to dry. With the passing of the new fire levy increase, this CFA uniform is now free to a good home," Mr Wrigley wrote.
"Jacinta Allan, you can keep your levy - we won't be responding to any fire, let alone the tragic road accidents you seem to have forgotten we also attend.
"If you feel the same, hang up your uniform and let them see how many of us are done being taken for granted #hungouttodry."
Social media communications showed VICSES volunteers discussing taking their units offline like the CFA.
One unit controller said he had tried to take his unit offline but had been denied by senior command.
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The Victorian government hit pause on the rollout of the controversial emergency services levy, just two weeks after the legislation passed parliament. Thousands of farmers, CFA volunteers and career firefighters massed on the steps of state parliament last week in protest of the new levy, which critics claim will cause significant hardship for regional communities. The new tax is set to take effect from July 1, with different rates applying to various categories of property and primary production land. However Jacinta Allan announced on Friday that Labor would freeze the rollout for Victorian farmers as part of a broader package of drought relief. 'As part of this immediate drought package and program of support, we're announcing that… the Emergency Services Levy rate for all farmers statewide will be held at the 2024-25 rates,' Ms Allan said. 'So this means that the rate that farmers are paying now will be the rate that they will pay into the next financial year as well.' Premier Allan said the decision, which follows a previous freeze for drought-affected local government areas, was made because of the 'dramatically worsened conditions and those real pressures that farmers are facing right now.' Farmers had been facing a 150 per cent increase on the previous levy, with a farmer named Ross telling Sky News Australia last week that while he didn't have an exact calculation, he expected the tax would cost him in the vicinity of $50,000. While the freeze will provide relief for farmers, the exemption is only expected to be temporary, with Victorian Treasurer Jaclyn Symes explaining that she was simply setting the rate for next year's levy at the same rate as the previous year. 'I'll be gazetting that rate at the same rate as last year, so that, to make it clear, there'll be no increase for any farmer, anyone who has primary production land in the state of Victoria,' she said. Ms Symes also pointed out there was an exemption for CFA and SES volunteers, meaning many farmers wouldn't have to pay the new rate at all. However the Victorian Opposition has called on the government to go further and scrap the levy entirely. 'What will it take for Jacinta Allan to realise that this unfair tax on all Victorians needs to be scrapped?" Opposition Leader Brad Battin asked. 'The Victorian Liberals and Nationals have already stated we will scrap this tax. It is time that the Allan Labor government do the same.'
The Advertiser
6 days ago
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'Locals blame us': rural SES volunteers 'hated' over emergency services levy
Some State Emergency Service volunteers in regional Victoria say they are "hated" by many locals for the organisation's role in the government's Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy. The volunteers said rural residents, especially farmers, blamed VICSES for the divisive new levy even though many rural VICSES members were strongly against the measure. VICSES has advocated strongly for the new levy and appears on track to benefit from the $2.9 billion in extra revenue to be collected over the next four years. But many rural VICSES members said they were sceptical the funds would reach their underfunded units and were "appalled" country residents were footing so much of the bill. "It's a bloody disgrace," one northern Victorian member said. One south-west unit controller said "we are very unpopular out here in the country". "We are hunted people now. I don't know how we are going to recruit," the controller said. A VICSES spokesperson said the organisation had "no role in the development or the specifics of the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund". "How specifically VICSES and the emergency services sector is funded is a matter for the state government," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said VICSES and its volunteers had been advocating for "greater support" from the government, but denied a role in the levy. "The suggestion that VICSES helped shape the levy is strongly rejected," the spokesperson said. But VICSES has long advocated for a new or expanded levy to bring it similar funding to the Country Fire Authority and reduce its heavy reliance on fundraising. VICSES executives and paid staff aren't allowed to lobby the government for money because they are Victorian government employees. But a group of volunteers had led a "Fund VICSES" campaign to specifically lobby for a levy to fund the organisation. The vision for a broader levy is explained on the Fund VICSES website. "This could be done by extending the existing Fire Services Levy to an Emergency Services Levy, or could be done separately. It would be collected alongside existing property rates by local councils," the campaign's FAQ said. The leader of the campaign - Footscray unit controller Michael Bagnall - spoke to the ABC to endorse the levy on May 15, 2025, the day it was voted through. "Members of Victoria's State Emergency Service hope a bill to boost their funding will be passed by the state parliament today," the article read. Many volunteers told ACM - publisher of this masthead - they were furious to see one person seeming to speak for all volunteers on such a divisive issue. "That bloke doesn't speak for me, I'll tell you that much," one northern Victorian volunteer said. Mr Bagnall told ACM he hadn't claimed to speak on behalf of all VICSES volunteers. "I understand there are a range of perspectives on the levy itself," he said. 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"However, I'm not supportive of the other changes to the levy, such as shifting the cost burden from general revenue to the levy and disproportionately being paid by regional Victoria." A VICSES spokesperson denied any order or request for volunteers to remain apolitical. "VICSES members are permitted to respectfully advocate for their needs," the spokesperson said. "VICSES acknowledges the growing pressures on rural communities, especially emergency services volunteers in those communities, where drought is having a profound impact on their livelihoods." But an internal message to all members from VICSES chief executive Rob Purcell on Friday May 16 specifically asked them to stay out of the debate. "I understand there are a range of passionate views on this topic and people have their personal political beliefs as well. I ask and remind us all to remain respectful [and] apolitical whilst representing VICSES and act in line with our VICSES values at all times," it said. There were also volunteers on the VICSES Facebook page who argued strongly for the levy and said the furore would blow over. "My advice is to keep calm. Wait three weeks and the news media will have moved on," one volunteer said. One rural volunteer told ACM this was the same advice he'd been given when he told VICSES senior staff about the hostility he'd experienced from locals since the levy passed. "They just said 'oh you know, we expected some push back from the regions, but they'll back down and it'll all happen come July'," the volunteer said. But the volunteer said he wasn't so sure. "It's really widened that gap between the city and the country. All those Melbourne members pushing for this levy when they knew it would be toxic," he said. "And it's the volunteers out here who get blamed. Well, we've had a gutful of this stuff. "You're not going to get new members to come if no one's happy." Some State Emergency Service volunteers in regional Victoria say they are "hated" by many locals for the organisation's role in the government's Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy. The volunteers said rural residents, especially farmers, blamed VICSES for the divisive new levy even though many rural VICSES members were strongly against the measure. VICSES has advocated strongly for the new levy and appears on track to benefit from the $2.9 billion in extra revenue to be collected over the next four years. But many rural VICSES members said they were sceptical the funds would reach their underfunded units and were "appalled" country residents were footing so much of the bill. "It's a bloody disgrace," one northern Victorian member said. One south-west unit controller said "we are very unpopular out here in the country". "We are hunted people now. I don't know how we are going to recruit," the controller said. A VICSES spokesperson said the organisation had "no role in the development or the specifics of the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund". "How specifically VICSES and the emergency services sector is funded is a matter for the state government," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said VICSES and its volunteers had been advocating for "greater support" from the government, but denied a role in the levy. "The suggestion that VICSES helped shape the levy is strongly rejected," the spokesperson said. But VICSES has long advocated for a new or expanded levy to bring it similar funding to the Country Fire Authority and reduce its heavy reliance on fundraising. VICSES executives and paid staff aren't allowed to lobby the government for money because they are Victorian government employees. But a group of volunteers had led a "Fund VICSES" campaign to specifically lobby for a levy to fund the organisation. The vision for a broader levy is explained on the Fund VICSES website. "This could be done by extending the existing Fire Services Levy to an Emergency Services Levy, or could be done separately. It would be collected alongside existing property rates by local councils," the campaign's FAQ said. The leader of the campaign - Footscray unit controller Michael Bagnall - spoke to the ABC to endorse the levy on May 15, 2025, the day it was voted through. "Members of Victoria's State Emergency Service hope a bill to boost their funding will be passed by the state parliament today," the article read. Many volunteers told ACM - publisher of this masthead - they were furious to see one person seeming to speak for all volunteers on such a divisive issue. "That bloke doesn't speak for me, I'll tell you that much," one northern Victorian volunteer said. Mr Bagnall told ACM he hadn't claimed to speak on behalf of all VICSES volunteers. "I understand there are a range of perspectives on the levy itself," he said. "Not all will feel the same impact from this levy and the views of those impacted, most need to be fully respected." But while Mr Bagnall was able to speak publicly in support of the levy, other volunteers told ACM they were ordered to stay quiet. Dozens of CFA brigades started going offline in protest as the levy was passed on May 15. But when VICSES units tried to do the same, they were told they "weren't allowed" by senior operations. A Melbourne-based volunteer said members had been "ordered to stay neutral" on the topic of the levy and not to comment publicly about it. Dozens of volunteers took to the closed VICSES Facebook page to express frustration at having to remain "apolitical". These volunteers all agreed VICSES desperately needed more funding, but said the levy would "cripple many who are already struggling". "SES are somewhat conflicted as we badly need the funding," one volunteer wrote. "However, I'm not supportive of the other changes to the levy, such as shifting the cost burden from general revenue to the levy and disproportionately being paid by regional Victoria." A VICSES spokesperson denied any order or request for volunteers to remain apolitical. "VICSES members are permitted to respectfully advocate for their needs," the spokesperson said. "VICSES acknowledges the growing pressures on rural communities, especially emergency services volunteers in those communities, where drought is having a profound impact on their livelihoods." But an internal message to all members from VICSES chief executive Rob Purcell on Friday May 16 specifically asked them to stay out of the debate. "I understand there are a range of passionate views on this topic and people have their personal political beliefs as well. I ask and remind us all to remain respectful [and] apolitical whilst representing VICSES and act in line with our VICSES values at all times," it said. There were also volunteers on the VICSES Facebook page who argued strongly for the levy and said the furore would blow over. "My advice is to keep calm. Wait three weeks and the news media will have moved on," one volunteer said. One rural volunteer told ACM this was the same advice he'd been given when he told VICSES senior staff about the hostility he'd experienced from locals since the levy passed. "They just said 'oh you know, we expected some push back from the regions, but they'll back down and it'll all happen come July'," the volunteer said. But the volunteer said he wasn't so sure. "It's really widened that gap between the city and the country. All those Melbourne members pushing for this levy when they knew it would be toxic," he said. "And it's the volunteers out here who get blamed. Well, we've had a gutful of this stuff. "You're not going to get new members to come if no one's happy." Some State Emergency Service volunteers in regional Victoria say they are "hated" by many locals for the organisation's role in the government's Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy. The volunteers said rural residents, especially farmers, blamed VICSES for the divisive new levy even though many rural VICSES members were strongly against the measure. VICSES has advocated strongly for the new levy and appears on track to benefit from the $2.9 billion in extra revenue to be collected over the next four years. But many rural VICSES members said they were sceptical the funds would reach their underfunded units and were "appalled" country residents were footing so much of the bill. "It's a bloody disgrace," one northern Victorian member said. One south-west unit controller said "we are very unpopular out here in the country". "We are hunted people now. I don't know how we are going to recruit," the controller said. A VICSES spokesperson said the organisation had "no role in the development or the specifics of the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund". "How specifically VICSES and the emergency services sector is funded is a matter for the state government," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said VICSES and its volunteers had been advocating for "greater support" from the government, but denied a role in the levy. "The suggestion that VICSES helped shape the levy is strongly rejected," the spokesperson said. But VICSES has long advocated for a new or expanded levy to bring it similar funding to the Country Fire Authority and reduce its heavy reliance on fundraising. VICSES executives and paid staff aren't allowed to lobby the government for money because they are Victorian government employees. But a group of volunteers had led a "Fund VICSES" campaign to specifically lobby for a levy to fund the organisation. The vision for a broader levy is explained on the Fund VICSES website. "This could be done by extending the existing Fire Services Levy to an Emergency Services Levy, or could be done separately. It would be collected alongside existing property rates by local councils," the campaign's FAQ said. The leader of the campaign - Footscray unit controller Michael Bagnall - spoke to the ABC to endorse the levy on May 15, 2025, the day it was voted through. "Members of Victoria's State Emergency Service hope a bill to boost their funding will be passed by the state parliament today," the article read. Many volunteers told ACM - publisher of this masthead - they were furious to see one person seeming to speak for all volunteers on such a divisive issue. "That bloke doesn't speak for me, I'll tell you that much," one northern Victorian volunteer said. Mr Bagnall told ACM he hadn't claimed to speak on behalf of all VICSES volunteers. "I understand there are a range of perspectives on the levy itself," he said. "Not all will feel the same impact from this levy and the views of those impacted, most need to be fully respected." But while Mr Bagnall was able to speak publicly in support of the levy, other volunteers told ACM they were ordered to stay quiet. Dozens of CFA brigades started going offline in protest as the levy was passed on May 15. But when VICSES units tried to do the same, they were told they "weren't allowed" by senior operations. A Melbourne-based volunteer said members had been "ordered to stay neutral" on the topic of the levy and not to comment publicly about it. Dozens of volunteers took to the closed VICSES Facebook page to express frustration at having to remain "apolitical". These volunteers all agreed VICSES desperately needed more funding, but said the levy would "cripple many who are already struggling". "SES are somewhat conflicted as we badly need the funding," one volunteer wrote. "However, I'm not supportive of the other changes to the levy, such as shifting the cost burden from general revenue to the levy and disproportionately being paid by regional Victoria." A VICSES spokesperson denied any order or request for volunteers to remain apolitical. "VICSES members are permitted to respectfully advocate for their needs," the spokesperson said. "VICSES acknowledges the growing pressures on rural communities, especially emergency services volunteers in those communities, where drought is having a profound impact on their livelihoods." But an internal message to all members from VICSES chief executive Rob Purcell on Friday May 16 specifically asked them to stay out of the debate. "I understand there are a range of passionate views on this topic and people have their personal political beliefs as well. I ask and remind us all to remain respectful [and] apolitical whilst representing VICSES and act in line with our VICSES values at all times," it said. There were also volunteers on the VICSES Facebook page who argued strongly for the levy and said the furore would blow over. "My advice is to keep calm. Wait three weeks and the news media will have moved on," one volunteer said. One rural volunteer told ACM this was the same advice he'd been given when he told VICSES senior staff about the hostility he'd experienced from locals since the levy passed. "They just said 'oh you know, we expected some push back from the regions, but they'll back down and it'll all happen come July'," the volunteer said. But the volunteer said he wasn't so sure. "It's really widened that gap between the city and the country. All those Melbourne members pushing for this levy when they knew it would be toxic," he said. "And it's the volunteers out here who get blamed. Well, we've had a gutful of this stuff. "You're not going to get new members to come if no one's happy."
Sky News AU
25-05-2025
- Sky News AU
Victorian Labor government imposes crippling tax on farmers and CFA volunteers
Sky News host Rita Panahi has blasted the Victorian Allan government for imposing a 'crippling tax' on farmers and CFA volunteers.
