An urgent motion was tabled at the 24 June Yarra Ranges Council meeting to again express disappointment in the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund (ESVF) and to join with other councils across Victoria to protest it.
Yarra Ranges mayor, councillor Jim Child said that while we support the work of our volunteers when it comes to emergencies, what we do not support is the way this levy is being imposed.
“We shall join with other councils in writing to the Premier, treasurer, minister for emergency services, leader of the opposition, shadow treasurer and our local members of the State Government Legislative Assembly to advise and object to the significantly negative financial hardship this levy will impose on our community,” Cr Child said.
“While everyone will be impacted by this new levy, our farming and business sectors will be hit particularly hard.
“Along with other councils, we feel that this new levy has been rushed through quickly and the consequences of it on rural and regional communities have not been thought through.
“We also object to the collection of this levy being imposed on council. This is not a council role, and all monies collected go to the state government. If councils are to collect this levy then a realistic timeframe for its introduction must be negotiated with local government and full support and funding must be provided.
“There is also very little information out about this new levy – most of it has been raised by councils and the community about their frustrations. We need the state government to undertake an extensive and far-reaching communications campaign so people understand what this levy is and what it’s for.
“Currently, this will sit as a line item on people’s rates without people understanding what this is all about and that is unfair to our community and to Council.
The ESVF replaces the Fire Services Levy already collected by councils on behalf of the state and is due to commence from 1 July 2025.
This fund increases the payments levied on all properties.
Councils are responsible for collecting this money on behalf of the state government via rates and transfers it directly to the government.
