General News
20 May, 2025
Enough is enough say the CFA and farmers across Victoria
The unprecedented anger of CFA members, farmers, business owners and members of the community across the state of Victoria has continued to grow since the government's announcement of the new Emergency Services and Volunteer Levy at the end of 2024.
Streams of red CFA trucks and yellow suited CFA members will head to Melbourne on Tuesday, May 20 - with trucks and uniforms that will be left on the steps of parliament.
Cars, buses and trains will ferry people from all over Victoria to ground zero in Melbourne, parliament house.
No longer are rural communities accepting less than they believe they deserve from the current Victorian government, including the new Emergency Services and Volunteer Levy.
An organised protest on the steps of parliament will see people arrive for a BBQ breakfast on the steps of government with a rally against the new ESVL to follow.
The new tax on ratepayers proposes to fund emergency services in Victoria meaning the volunteer CFA members and many of them farmers, will fund the service they volunteer for an thousands of dollars.
Rural advocate Andrew Wiedermann is leading the protest.
"The rural voters voted for a change of government at the May federal election and the city voters voted Labor back in so we need them, the city people, to know what is really happening so we'll take it to them.
"Just because the government with the support of the Greens and other minority parties voted the new ESVL in during the night, doesn't mean it's over.
"We are just getting started and Tuesday's rally is an opportunity for people to meet on the steps of parliament and send a clear message that we do not accept this government's treatment of the rural community," he said.
Hundreds of CFA units have gone offline and members have hung their yellow suits 'out to dry' in what they say is an example of what they believe this government has done to them in the tax hike across all households but in particular the rural community, many of them farmers and volunteers in the CFA
In the Wimmera, units from Beulah, Dadswells Bridge, Kaniva and Rainbow have gone off line and will be attending the rally in Melbourne.
In one of the most fire prone areas in the state, the Grampians, rocked by devastating fires in February 2024 and December 2024 continuing into January 2025, Dadswells Bridge CFA has issued the following statement.
"Due to the recent developments from the Victorian Government regarding the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, Dadswells Bridge CFA has decided to take our tanker 2 offline. Tanker 1 will still be attending callouts as usual, especially as we have the Western Highway as a major incident risk in our area.
"We still have a motive to protect our community which extends beyond the CFA and represents us as individuals that want to help people in need. The tax is a disaster for rural communities and will have a ripple effect on everyone within Victoria, but at the end of the day our community deserves to feel protected and safe, which is why we have left tanker 1 online.
"We will continue to fight for fairness and hope the government decides to respect those individuals that volunteer their time and effort, each and every day." the statement read.
The Buloke Shire West CFA Brigade district 18 will hold no training, no tree hazards or burn over drill; CFA district 18 headquarters will take over control of the group.
"All trucks will be going to Melbourne and all SCV's from the group.
"And we will be leaving them in Melbourne," they said.
This follows a growing protest of discarded yellow uniforms, helmets and equipment displayed on fences and sign posts.
"If you don't have a uniform, please display a bucket on your gate as a sign of solidarity," one unit said
The uniforms of dedicated volunteers in the CFA who have often volunteeed for decades and across generations of one family have left their uniforms on the steps of parliament at previous protests in recent weeks and some even burning them to show their disgust at the tax hike.
In an example given by Hindmarsh Shire CEO Monica Revell at the recent community meeting at Winiam, conditions of the proposed levy would mean an additional $3 million from just the Hindmarsh Shire (Population 5660), taking the total to $5 million annually.
"Imagine the benefits this amount could bring if retained within our Shire," she said.
"The Government has mandated the Shires to collect this money for them through our rates system and employ debt collectors to recover unpaid amount."
Horsham Rural City Council mayor, Cr Ian Ross said that the increased levy was a staggering impost at a time when cost-of-living pressures were already weighing heavily on community.
“Farmers, families, individuals and small businesses should not be forced to foot the bill for decisions made in Spring Street when every extra dollar we send to Spring Street is a dollar that can’t be spent in a local business or used to pay an employee,” he said.
"The additional financial burden comes at a time when many are already struggling with rising costs.
"Due to the high proportion of farming land in our total property base, Horsham Rural City Council ratepayers will see one of the highest percentage increases across the state.
"The levy will raise an additional $3.26 million from our residents – an increase of more than 84 per cent.
"All property owners, both rural and urban, will pay this levy increase via their council rates bills.
"However, forcing local governments to collect a Victorian Government tax is unfair," he said.
Cr Ross said it seems the government is profoundly deaf to the rural sector of the state and a lack of understanding of the farming community.
Ararat Council spokesperson said on social media they will collect the levy because legislation requires they do so but they will continue to advocate for their community against the increased tax.
The Victorian Treasurer acknowledged farmers’ concerns and said amendments were made before the vote to ease the levy increases, reducing the planned rise from 189 per cent to 150 per cent.
The government has also introduced rebate schemes for volunteers and farmers in drought-affected areas.
However, these rebates require payment of the full levy upfront before the rebate is paid.
While there were some small adjustments to the original bill, it has done little to appease an angry community.
