Fire tax convoy and rally: Farmers sweep into Melbourne on wave of anger

Farmers’ anger over the tripling of emergency services taxes is about to boil over and sweep into Melbourne.

Victorian Treasurer Jaclyn Symes (pictured on her property) has pushed farmers to the edge, by tripling the emergency service tax they must pay from July 1.

Farmers are preparing to sweep into Melbourne to vent their anger at the Allan Government’s bid to pass legislation imposing a $616m hike in emergency service taxes to fund public servants.

About 90 farmers, who met in Ascot on Tuesday night to discuss the new tax, have agreed to form a convoy that is due to head into Melbourne tomorrow morning to protest against the tax.

Convoy organiser and Mount Bolton beef producer Susanne Marro said other farmers were welcome to join the convoy, which would gather at the Derrimut McDonald’s on the Western Ring Road at 7am tomorrow (Friday) before heading into the city and driving around parliament.

“We’re not out to break any laws,” Ms Marro said. “It’s about public awareness.”

Most of the farmers live within Victoria’s most marginal regional electorate of Ripon, which Labor MP Martha Haylett holds on a margin of less than 3 per cent.

Local Tourello farmer Katherine Myers said farmers had written to Ms Haylett urging her to halt the Fire Services Property Amendment (Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund) Bill 2025, which parliament’s Upper House is due to vote on next week.

The letter states: “The timing couldn’t be worse, with drought and rising costs already making it harder to stay afloat. This new tax will hit farm businesses hard.”

Meanwhile, 23 landholder groups are preparing to rally on the steps of parliament at noon next Tuesday, as the Upper House debates the Bill.

Rupanyup grain grower Andrew Weidemann, who chairs a weekly meeting of the 23 groups, said Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking would be addressing the rally, with politicians from Labor, the Coalition and Greens invited to speak.

Mr Hosking said it was “great to see farmers stepping up to fight the new tax”.

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