Thousands of Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteers and farmers have travelled to Melbourne on state budget day to protest against the government’s new emergency services tax.
Among them is a fire brigade captain who says his station does not need the new truck allocated to it through the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF).
The Corop West brigade is set to be among the first to receive a new tanker via a $110-million investment in CFA, SES and Fire Rescue Victoria fleet replacement.
But captain Toby Acocks said the first he heard of it was on ABC radio.
“Myself, our group officer, our district commander, knew nothing of it,” he said.
“I’d say someone in Spring Street picked a brigade at random and we happened to be it.
“We’re probably a brigade that would happily upgrade to a hand-me-down from a bigger brigade and let someone else have a brand new one.
“There’s definitely other brigades that need new trucks before we do.”
Mr Acocks said there was “frustration and disbelief” over the new tax among brigade volunteers, but none had decided to quit.
“To resign is really penalising the community we’re trying to service rather than penalising the government,” he said.
The Corop West brigade would happily take a second-hand tanker from another unit, according to Toby Acocks. (ABC Central Victoria: Anna McGuinness)
Lack of input from firies
A Victorian government spokesperson said the levy would help keep emergency services funded.
“These changes will give emergency services the funding and equipment they need as they face natural disasters, which are happening more often and becoming more destructive,” the spokesperson said.
“Every single dollar raised by this new fund will support our emergency services, helping them to keep communities safe year-round.”
Firies say they have not been adequately consulted. (ABC News.)
The government’s initial announcement released Friday said CFA brigades in Darraweit Guim, Corop West, Barmah, Erica, Lubeck, Goroke, Crowlands, Modewarre, Kawarren and Moe South would be the first recipients of fire trucks funded through the ESVF levy.
“You would have thought that the district commanders and the likes would have some input as to where they get allocated,” Mr Acocks said.
The government said new trucks were funded based on information provided to it by the CFA, based on operational need.
Eliza Ayres says farmers cannot afford to pay the emergency services tax. (ABC Central Victoria: Sarah Lawrence)
‘Learn to hold a hose’
All ratepayers in Victoria will pay more for the ESVF, but farmers in particular are facing increases of tens of thousands of dollars.
Elmore farmer Eliza Ayres boarded a bus in the dark this morning to travel to Melbourne for the protest.
“I am here because I don’t know any farmer who can actually afford this,” she said.
“Our prices have tripled over the past five years but our revenue has not, so basically we can’t afford this levy.”
Dozens of CFA trucks have spotted around Melbourne protesting against the levy. (ABC News: Stephanie Ferrier)
David Johnson also travelled to Melbourne from Elmore and said the tax was “totally unfair”.
“Bloody hell, how many charities or organisations do you know where the volunteers have to pay to be volunteers? It’s not on,” he said.
“They criticise Scott Morrison saying he doesn’t know how to hold a hose, well I reckon the Premier better learn how to hold a hose,” he said.
A convoy of CFA trucks drove down the Calder Freeway to Melbourne this morning. (Supplied)
Levy concerns councils
The fund replaces the cheaper fire services levy and is aimed at raising more revenue for the fire services, the SES, the triple-0 call centre and the State Control Centre.
The levy will be implemented by local councils with variable rates that depend on property type.
The government says CFA and SES volunteers will be able to apply for a rebate after paying the tax, but Mr Acocks says that does not take into account the reality for many farmers.
“From our understanding it’s only a rebate on your primary residence — most operators in regional Victoria are going to have more than one rates notice,” he said.
Spring Street was swarming with CFA volunteers on Tuesday morning. (ABC News)
The terms of the rebate will not be released until July.
It will be the job of councils across the state to collect the new levy as a component of their annual rates bills.
Earlier this year a group of regional councils lobbied the Victorian government to revise its plans for the new fund.
