Farmers fight to stop ESVF tax: CFA volunteers and landholders rally in Melbourne

CFA volunteers and members of landholder groups have rallied outside parliament in a bid to stop the Allan Government imposing a new $1.6 billion tax on all Victorians.

CFA volunteers and members of 23 landholder groups rallied outside parliament on Tuesday in a last ditch bid to stop the Allan Labor Government imposing a new $1.6 billion emergency services tax on all Victorians.

Parliament’s Upper House was due to debate the Fire Services Property Amendment (Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund) Bill 2025 for a second time this week, after the government failed to gain the crossbench support it needed to pass the legislation last month.

Rupanyup grain grower Andrew Weidemann, who helped co-ordinate the rally, said the new ESVF would hit all Victorians hard.

“It’s going to have a massive impact not only on farmers, but the whole community,” Mr Weidemann said.

Rupanyup grain grower Andrew Weidemann (centre) helped co-ordinate the rally.

More than 300 farmers were armed with rally signs, fire trucks, emergency services uniforms and their workers’ boots. Premier Jacinta Allan had organised an interview with the group’s representatives.

Ichavon CFA firefighter Jack Burchell said “it’s unfair on all Victorians, especially for the farmers, where there’s a 189 per cent increase of the levy. After all, we’re volunteers and put in our time, effort into fighting fires.”

Lubeck CFA volunteer and farmer Ian Taylor said the new tax would cost him $35,000.

“We have 35-year-old fire truck, we don’t get any funding towards our brigade,” Mr Taylor said. “That truck protects about $100m worth of assets from grain, to buildings, houses and property.”.

More than 300 farmers attended the rally.

Victorian Farmers Federation Grains Group chairman and CFA firefighter Ryan Milgate said farmers were considering removing their volunteering efforts due to the lack of consultation and further costs to their businesses.

“What we’re seeing is rural people are sick of being taken for granted, and not consulted and expect to carry an unfair burden,” he said.

From July 1 the government expects to collect $1.65 billion in 2025-26 ESVF taxes and $1.8bn in 2026-27, compared to the $1bn it collected this financial year under the Fire Services Property Levy it is due to replace.

The government will use the extra tax revenue to fund public servants wages, with just $50m used to support emergency service volunteers over the next four years.

Farmer rally at Parliament to opposed the emergency services levy.

Barry Batters from St Arnaud. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Peter Lawless from Yarrawonga. Picture: Zoe Phillips

From July 1 the government expects to collect $1.65 billion in 2025-26 ESVF taxes and $1.8bn in 2026-27.

The Victorian Farmers Federation, Rural Councils Victoria and Regional Cities Victoria have called for the bill to be amended to cut the cost or dumped, warning it would hit struggling households and businesses hard.

Regional Cities Victoria – representing Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga – wants the levy dumped, given it will strip $60m out of their communities and residents hard.

RCV chair Shane Sali said “councils hold significant concern about the financial impact on residents already struggling with cost-of-living pressures.

“Regional Victorians look at the tens of billions being poured into metro projects and wonder about the potential of some of that investment in our regions.

Opposition Emergency Services spokesman Danny O’Brien called on landholders to “maintain the rage and continue to put pressure on the cross-benchers”.