09-05-2025
CFA volunteers and farmers protest Victoria's proposed Emergency Services Levy
Farmers and volunteer firefighters angry about a new emergency services tax have blocked traffic on Melbourne's West Gate Bridge to draw attention to what they describe as an unjust burden.
"It's not viable for farmers to be able to pay that tax," farmer Rob Armstrong said.
A convoy of more than a dozen fire trucks and farm vehicles set a creeping pace during peak hour this morning before lining Spring Street outside Parliament House.
The state government is moving to introduce a new Emergency Services Levy, which would replace the existing Fire Services Levy already attached to land rates in Victoria.
Under the planned tax changes, some farmers say the amount they pay will increase by 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 said.
He said he was baffled by the government's intentions of introducing even higher taxes during drought periods.
"I actually find it really hard to believe that a government would think this was a good idea, he said.
Under both the existing Fire Services Levy, and the planned Emergency Services Levy, primary production land is taxed at a higher rate.
Money raised will go towards fire services, the SES, state control centre and triple zero.
"It's something our the State Emergency Services have been calling for, they're also volunteers," Premier Jacinta Allan said.
"We've introduced this change because we want to increase support for our emergency services. To bring funding to the state emergency services for the first time in a similar way to the fire services."
But farmers protesting today claim it will increase their tax burden, without contributing materially more to local CFA brigades, which many farmers also volunteer for.
"Not only is it a horrendous tax, we are firefighters. We're either the member of a CFA truck or we're a private unit," Mr Armstrong said.
"We risk our lives … I spent all Christmas Day on a fire truck in the Grampians, missed out on all the fun, trying to look after people's farms.
The upper house is expected to vote on the controversial new tax as soon as Tuesday, when parliament returns.
Opposition Leader Brad Battin was at the rally and called on the government to drop the tax.
"There are farmers here that are struggling each and every day because of the drought that many people will not even talk about, and then the government wants to throw a tax on them," Mr Battin said.
"[The government must] ensure that this tax is stopped in the first sitting of parliament and never gets put back on the table."
CFA volunteers say they're furious about getting slugged with an extra tax when they already contribute time — and in many cases — money to their local brigades as well.
The government has flagged exemptions for CFA volunteers on the levy charged on their place of residence.
But those who do the job say that doesn't go far enough, because it doesn't take into account they way farms are structured.
Ms Allan said as someone who lives in a very high fire risk area in rural Victoria, she deeply understood and appreciated the work that fire and emergency services did to keep the community safe.
"We need to ensure we're investing in our fire and emergency services and every dollar through the fire and emergency services volunteer fund will be invested in our emergency services."
Tom Drife is a farmer from Glendaruel, on the rural fringe of Ballarat.
He told the ABC's Victorian Country Hour that 15 to 20 fire trucks from central and northern Victorian communities were driven to the premier's office at lunchtime today.
"A whole heap of proud CFA volunteers have come to Bendigo, to Jacinta Allan's office and basically handed the keys (of the trucks) back," Mr Drife said.
"We're getting pushed beyond our limits and we decided to do something she'll take notice of.
"The tax as it's proposed is unfairly skewed towards farmers. Our tax will go up 189 per cent which is very significant for all operations."
He said his bill would increase from $3,000 to about $14,000.
"It's along the lines of $2 billion ripped out of regional Victoria. That $2 billion would have been spent in regional Victoria," Mr Drife said.
"It's going to go straight back to Melbourne and our communities are just going to be left high and dry.
"Most of Victoria's had a very tough season this year, we are going to struggle to pay that if it comes in, but even on a good season, the community can't afford to pay that."
There was no-one at the premier's office today and the keys to the fire trucks have been left at the front door.
