DOUBLING Victoria’s fire services levy has been branded a blatant State Government scam by Murray Plains MP Peter Walsh.
The Government last week announced the levy would jump from 8.7 cents per $1000 in a property’s capital improved value to 17.3 per cent.
The rebranded Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy will start next July and be extended to fund other agencies including the volunteer-based State Emergency Service.
“Commercial, industrial and primary production landowners will pay 100, 64 and 189 per cent more respectively – in a shock announcement coming just days after Labor’s fraudulent ‘economic growth statement’ which failed to reduce any tax on businesses,” Mr Walsh said.
“And it is a scam, we know full well this money is not going where it belongs, and where it has been promised – to support the irreplaceable work done by our dedicated volunteer firefighters in CFA units across my electorate and across the state.
“The Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) will see all of Victoria’s emergency services, which are normally allocated funding in the annual state budget, now rely on the new levy to fund up to 95 per cent of their operations.”
The new levy will be collected by councils and appear on rates notices. The Government says it will work with councils to support implementation.
““After slashing tens of millions of dollars from Triple Zero Victoria, the State Emergency Service and the Country Fire Authority in the past two years, Labor now blames hardworking volunteers for a massive two-billion-dollar increase,” Mr Walsh said.