THE Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has welcomed the Victorian Government’s decision to freeze the Emergency Services Volunteer Levy for a further two years and increase the property value threshold for volunteer exemptions from $5 million to $10 million.
VFF President Brett Hosking said the move is a huge relief for farmers and comes after a huge backlash against the regarded by the VFF as a fundamentally wrong cash-grab. “Farmers will be breathing a huge sigh of relief,” he said.
“This tax was set to rip hundreds of millions out of the pockets of cash-strapped farmers in the middle of a record-breaking drought.
“Freezing the levy and increasing the exemption threshold acknowledges the massive pressure farmers have been under, particularly following years of drought and escalating operating costs.”
Mr Hosking said he would like to thank Premier Jacinta Allan, Treasurer Jacyln Symes and Minister for Agriculture, Ros Spence, for listening to farmers across Victoria.
“Victorian farmers told us the Emergency Services Volunteer Levy was their number one issue and we’ve been moving heaven and earth to get to today’s decision,” he said.
“It’s a step in the right direction, now we need real reform so we aren’t staring down the barrel of the same tax in two years’ time.”
The VFF will now press the Victorian Government over the next two years to engage in a serious and transparent discussion about how emergency services are funded in the long term.
“This cannot be the end of the conversation. A pause is great, but we need a permanent and fair and equitable funding model that reflects modern realities and doesn’t continue to load disproportionate costs onto property owners,” he said.
“It must be a sustainable system that moving emergency services funding back into consolidated revenue and doesn’t push that burden onto farmers and landholders.”
Mr Hosking said before this year’s election, the VFF needed a firm commitment on what the process will look like to work in partnership with farmers to deliver a long-term funding solution – “one that supports farmers, volunteers, strengthens emergency service capability, and treats all Victorians fairly”.
