‘Not a tax for volunteers – it’s a tax on volunteers’: Firefighters, farmers call for state to scrap the emergency services levy
Firefighters and farmers gathered in Geelong’s CBD calling for the Allan government to scrap a controversial emergency services levy, as councillor Trent Sullivan called for Greater Geelong’s councils to refuse to enforce the tax.
Geelong
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Furious firefighters and farmers gathered in the Geelong CBD on Tuesday to protest the “criminal” emergency services levy they say will take a heavy toll on those who protect and feed our communities.
Speaking at the protest, Geelong councillor Trent Sullivan called for local councils to refuse to enforce Labor’s Emergency Services Property Levy (ESVF).
A convoy of Country Fire Authority trucks travelled from Batesford to Brougham St, to protest outside Western Victorian MP Gayle Tierney’s office on budget day.
Adrian Mohr, a CFA volunteer and second generation sheep farmer from Meredith, said he was furious.
“I’m here today to protect freedom, we’re sick of being taxed the guts out of us,” he said.
“If she doesn’t bloody listen today we should be forcing a state election.”
The Allan government’s new Emergency Service and Volunteer Fund passed parliament early on Friday morning following a marathon sitting, paving the way for an estimated $2bn generated by the tax to be included in the budget.
The levy will raise fees payable by farmers by almost 200 per cent in some cases.
Firefighter and United Firefighters Union (UFU) member Mark Sinkinson called the levy “unjust” and “grab for cash”
“We’ve got lots of needs across the fire service, and we’ve got farmers that are being asked to pay an exorbitant amount of money for their fire levies,” he said.
“It’s just a cash grab by this government to take the money and use it elsewhere.”
Mr Sinkinson said in the middle of a drought the levy was cruel to farmers who were already struggling to feed their livestock.
“The government are not reading the room, I’m usually a Labor supporter,” he said.
“Yes the emergency services need funding and we need it now... but don’t tax those that are doing the job.”
Mr Sullivan attended the protest, criticising Ms Tierney’s absence at the event.
“We’re seeing multiple councils up in the north who are refusing to collect this council tax on behalf of the state, and I think we should do it down here too” he said.
“Don’t tax the people, they’re doing the hardest right now.”
“This is just an unfair burden by people who give their time to help those in need.
In Melbourne, thousands of farmers, and firefighters travelled in convoy from all corners of the state to demand an end to the levy.
The were met by crowds calling for a moratorium and public inquiry on the legislation raising the taxes.
Member for Western Victoria Region Bev McArthur announced on Tuesday the Liberals and Nationals had made a clear an unequivocal commitment to scrap the “unjust” levy.
“The ESVF is not a tax for volunteers – it’s a tax on volunteers,” she said.
Originally published as ‘Not a tax for volunteers – it’s a tax on volunteers’: Firefighters, farmers call for state to scrap the emergency services levy
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