CFA trucks light up Camperdown as Premier Allan hits town

CFA trucks and slip-on units hit the streets of Camperdown as Premier Jacinta Allan arrived launch the first meeting of her drought taskforce.

CFA trucks light up Camperdown as Premier arrives for first meeting of drought taskforce.

About 30 CFA trucks and slip-on units hit the streets of Camperdown on Friday as Premier Jacinta Allan arrived in town to launch the first meeting of her drought taskforce.

“There’s a bit of blue and red flashing around Camperdown,” Chocolyn CFA volunteer Leigh Harry said. “We’re not here to run a rally, just to be noticed in support of our community.”

Some of the trucks still had “scrap the tax” slogans written on their sides, from when they attended the recent rally in Melbourne against the Allan Government’s new emergency services tax.

Mr Leigh said that once the Premier arrived in Camperdown they were locked out of the meeting, with only members of the government’s drought taskforce and media allowed in.

“Her minders wouldn’t let us in the door, even though our rates pay for the (upkeep of) the building,” he said.

Inside the hall, the Premier was asked if should would meet the volunteers outside, but refused to answer the question, simply stating she regularly met with volunteers across the state.

“More and more is being asked of our volunteers,” Ms Allan said. “That’s why we need to provide them with more support and they will not pay the levy (emergency services tax).”

When asked about whether the state government would scrap the ESVF, Ms Allan said they had announced the freeze for farmers at the existing rates.

“Multi-generational farming communities have not seen conditions like this ever,” she said.

“More and more is being asked of our emergency services, more frequent and fierce flood, fire and storm events. In recognising the impact of a drought is here and now is why we have maintained the levy at existing rates.”

Ms Allan said feed, fodder and water supply had been “incredibly challenging” for farmers.

When asked about tightening security during her visit today and a tanker spraying her car with water, Ms Allan said: “Given it’s a drought, that would not be the best use of water now, would it?”.

Colac Otway Shire councillor Charlie Buchanan said the Colac Regional Saleyards hosted two rural financial counsellors on Friday during its monthly store cattle sale for drought-affected farmers.

“What we are missing out on is fodder travel concessions,” he said.

Derrinallum volunteer and farmer Steve Bignell believed there was a lack of discretional spending.

“It affects the ability to have a holiday, it affects mental health, and affects employees on-farm,” he said.

“For us it’s about community support, it’s not just CFA but businesses and households too that are affected by this, but they don’t seem to be aware of that just yet.”

The government has announced VFA and VicSES volunteers will receive a tax rebate on up to $5m of land or their homes.

But non-farming CFA and VicSES volunteers will still have been denied access to the tax rebate on their businesses.

Farmers can claim a tax rebate on up to $5m of their land, but the government is not extending the same offer to volunteers with commercial or industrial properties.

All Victorian businesses owners face the tax doubling, from 66.4c per $1000 of their properties’ capital improved value this financial year to $1.33/$1000 of CIV in 2025-26, plus a $275 fixed charge.

Meanwhile members of the drought taskforce outlined some of the issues they had raised with the Premier during today’s meeting.

Taskforce member and Nationals MP Peter Walsh said he said he called for an end to the requirement that farmers match government drought grants of up to $5000 on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

He said there was reasonable consensus around the table for direct unmatched grants and also for shire rate relief, with the Premier taking notes on each proposal.

Originally published as CFA trucks light up Camperdown as Premier Allan hits town