CFA call for fire levy discount: want the same rate as wind farm developers

CFA volunteers want the same hefty fire services property levy discount that corporate wind and solar farm developers enjoy.

CFA volunteers are paying far higher fire services property levy rates than wind and solar developers.

CFA volunteers are calling on the Allan Government give them the same hefty discount on fire services property levies that battery, solar, wind turbine developers enjoy.

Just 12 months ago Treasurer Tim Pallas moved renewable developers onto the public benefit FSPL rate of 5.7 cents per $1000 of their assets’ capital improved value, about seven per cent of the standard industrial rate of 81.1c/$1000 of CIV that would normally apply.

But when it came to farmers, many of whom are CFA volunteers, Mr Pallas raised their FSPL rates from 16.9c to 28.7c/$1000 of CIV, lifting rural contributions from $47.5m in 2023-24 to $75.7m for this financial year.

Dunrobin CFA firefighter and farmer Kelvin Bateman said volunteers deserved at least the same discount as wind and other industrial renewable developers.

“At the moment we’re propping up the fire service, paying 28 cents, and then go out and fight fires that come out from their (renewable developers) land,” Mr Bateman said. “We’re getting double whacked.”

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria first tried to gain an FSPL concession from Treasury in 2011, when the Coalition first reformed the fire service funding, shifting the levy from insurance premiums to property CIVs.

At the time VFBV’s submission to government stated: “Consideration should be given to a concession for serving emergency service volunteers who meet certain conditions, to recognise the unpaid contribution they make to their fellow Victorians and to assist with the personal costs they necessarily incur as volunteers”.

While Treasury argued it would be difficult to administer, VFBV argued that rather then trying to identify volunteers, it would be easier to allow them to apply for a rebate through their relevant agency – CFA and SES, who would then “be responsible for validating their membership and eligibility, before submitting to government for reimbursement”.

The CFA already keeps records on which volunteers have completed their compulsory annual burn-over test, which Mr Bateman said would provide all the evidence that was needed.

Gre Gre Village CFA captain and St Arnaud deputy group officer Peter Knights said an FSPL discount may also help act as an incentive to recruit more volunteers, “as long as it delivers firefighters where they’re needed”.

“It recognises their significant contribution and recognition of skill,” Mr Knights said.

Nationals member of Euroa Annabelle Cleeland raised the issue of a FSPL discount for volunteer in parliament last week,

“Many of the local property owners who are having to pay more towards the FSPL are volunteer firefighters that have seen their brigades have to slash their budgets,” Ms Cleeland said.

She said a levy discount would be an important step towards rebuilding morale among a declining volunteer force.

“We owe our CFA volunteers more than gratitude; we owe them the resources to do their job safely and effectively,” Ms Cleeland said.

The Weekly Times is awaiting a response from Mr Pallas or Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes on whether they would support giving emergency services volunteers an FSPL discount.