General News
20 May, 2025
Volunteer firefighters feel betrayed and frustrated over government’s new levy
Half the local CFA brigades are offline, alongside hundreds across the state, with regional crews feeling "backstabbed" by the recent legislation.
Half the local CFA brigades have gone offline, alongside hundreds across the state, protesting the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) being passed by parliament.
The new tax, which replaces the existing Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) on July 1, sees farmers paying 150 percent more than they did under the original legislation.
Charged by local councils on behalf of the State Government, the ESVF is intended to fund more of the state’s emergency and disaster response services including Triple Zero Victoria and the State Control Centre.
While all landholders will see an increase, farmers are expecting to pay tens of thousands of dollars more under the fund.
It’s a rise that CFA Goldfields Group Officer Peter Higgins said will break regional communities.
“I’m devastated in the sense that some of my best mates are hurting, brigade volunteers, and some of these people may not survive,” he said.
“I don’t know how you recover from it.”
While eligible volunteers will be able to access a rebate, according to the ABC, it will only apply to one property and they will first have to pay the levy in full.
Of the 10 brigades in the Goldfields Group, Bealiba, Natte Yallock, Mt Cameron, Moolort, and Dunolly have all gone offline in protest — many of whom consist of volunteers from the farming industry or are based in farming communities.
At its peak across the state, Mr Higgins said up to two thirds of brigades and appliances were offline.
“We have communities that are exposed,” he said.
Another CFA source told The Maryborough District Advertiser the exact number is unclear, but estimated a more conservative 200 stations were offline alongside 400 semi-trucks, tending to be more wide-spread in the west of the state.
The grassroots response to the ESVF will see some brigades only responding within their local community, others not at all, requiring brigades to respond from further afield.
The Advertiser contacted all the brigades in the Goldfields Group and has found a sentiment of betrayal and frustration locally.
Alongside expecting an exodus of members, Mr Higgins believes the CFA will be managing members mental health from the added pressure for years to come.
“The emotional outcome of this will be huge,” he said.
Carisbrook Fire Brigade Captain Ian Boucher believes the impact on farmers’ mental health will be “immense”.
“It’s only just starting to brew at the moment but the mental aspect ... out of all this will just be horrific,” he said.
According to Bealiba Fire Brigade First Lieutenant Tony Mortlock, almost all their brigade’s members are farmers.
“I’ll be paying tens of thousands of dollars for this tax to jump on a truck I’ve always jumped on,” he said.
Farmers volunteering in local brigades is a trend repeated across the regions, Mr Boucher said, with the recent legislation only increasing the pressure.
“[The government] just ripped the heart out of the CFA,” he said.
Mr Mortlock believes the Bealiba community, which he volunteered 45 years of firefighting for, will be devastated by the ESVF.
“It just feels like you’ve been backstabbed. It’s horrible. A horrible feeling,” he said.
He expects everything from local shops through to the footy club will feel the impact of tens of thousands of dollars leaving the area.
“This tax [is] gonna have a hand deep in our pocket, there’ll be no extra money for anything,” he said.
The Moolort and Joyces Creek community is so small that their brigade captain, Simon Coutts, doesn’t do community fundraising.
He describes a small farming community, one suffering from dry weather and low cropping yields, who expect “a kick in the guts” from the ESVF.
“It’s such an unfair tax,” he said.
“It’ll be a phenomenal increase to what we’ve been paying and to not see much of it just doesn’t seem fair.”
According to the State Government, alongside most of Fire Rescue Victoria’s, the FSPL funds 77.5 percent of the CFA’s annual budget. The ESVF will fund 95 percent alongside many other emergency services.
However, Mr Coutts expects the funds won’t be put back into his local community.
“We don’t seem to see anything coming back into the country,” he said.
The Mt Cameron Fire Brigade Captain, Parker Fawcett, said his members were offended by the increase.
“In terms of calling out and flying the CFA flag, no-one’s too proud to do that at the moment,” he said.
“It’s their time, they’re going out of their way, they’re already paying a fire levy, and then to charge people a ridiculous amount ... on top of their time and effort is a low blow.”
CFA acting chief officer Garry Cook acknowledged last week that CFA volunteers and brigades, many from rural communities, are under pressure.
“We respect their right to engage in matters relevant to their local communities, including those who are concerned about the potential impact of the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund,” he said.
He reminded CFA volunteers the State Government has announced a rebate for all eligible CFA operational and support volunteers.
“We will be working with our members to ensure they have the information they need to apply to the government for the rebate,” he said.
According to the State Government, VICSES and CFA volunteers who have served for at least 12 months, have passed probation, and have not been suspended on disciplinary grounds or have taken a leave of absence for the entire duration of the preceding 12 months will be eligible for the rebate.
State Premier Jacinta Allan said every dollar raised by the fund would go to emergency services and the Labor government will legislate to make this clear.
In an effort to be transparent, they said they’ll annually report how much has been collected by the ESVF and how that money will be spent.
“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,” she said.
Member for Ripon Martha Haylett voted with her party, Labor, in favour of the legislation in March.
In a video posted to Facebook by a community member, Ms Haylett said the context of her vote was more complicated than being for or against.
“Since then I have gone and spoken to the premier, spoken to the treasurer,” she said.
Speaking with The Maryborough District Advertiser, Ms Haylett said she will continue to “fiercely” fight for her community in parliament.
“I know this is a very difficult time for many members of our community, particularly farmers, with drought conditions and bad harvests,” she said.
“I am glad to see some recent changes to the levy, including reducing the cost to primary producers and providing refunds for farmers in drought impacted areas.
“I have and will continue to provide local feedback to the government about the levy.”
CFA volunteers from across
the state, including from local brigades, will be gathering on Spring Street once again to protest the ESVF today — this time accompanying the state budget announcement.