Strathbogie Shire voice just one among 5000

THE message from farmers and CFA volunteers was made clear on Tuesday, 20 May as over 5000 protestors used emergency vehicles to block the Spring and Bourke Streets intersection outside Parliament House to protest the state government’s new emergency services levy. A cavalcade of over 100 CFA fire trucks and other emergency vehicles from all over the state had slowed major arterial freeways and roads into Melbourne that morning to bring the new levy to the attention of Melbourne residents and the government. Liberal and Nationals leaders Brad Battin and Danny O’Brien told the rally that a coalition government would repeal the levy legislation if elected in 18 months-time. “We will ensure that we will cancel this tax,” Mr Battin said. “We will guarantee you that we will scrap it once and for all and hand that money back to Victorians.” In a statement on Wednesday, the coalition reiterated the promise on scrapping that they have called ‘tax by stealth’. Mr Battin said the government was ‘once again’ using a heartless tax hike to plug its budget black hole. “Only Labor could try and spin a massive land tax as support for volunteers. This is not about emergency services – it’s about squeezing more cash from Victorians to pay for Labor’s budget blowouts." CFA group officer Pat Millear addressed the crowd and listed off all fires attended to by volunteers since Black Saturday 2009 when all of Victoria’s units were in service. He commended those present for their duty. “You never complain and never get paid; you are on call 24 hours a day and seven days a week,” Mr Millear said. “You never seek accolades you just go about doing your job of saving lives and property, and at the very least what you want and what you need is support from your government. “You don’t want to be used as a shield to raise money to retire debt.” He said it was not the responsibility of those present to be off duty with their service vehicles to attend the protest. “It’s the state government’s choice to leave the state unprotected, it’s not ours,” Mr Millear said. “We are all out, just like you will be next election.” A contingent of Strathbogie Shire CFA volunteers joined with others at Wallan at 7am to be part of the column of trucks heading down the Hume Freeway to Melbourne. Arcadia farmer Damian Murphy had a clear message for the premier. "Scrub this tax because it will put all our costs up," Mr Murphy said. "It will be a drain on the community and will drain all the businesses in the community." Rick Milland from Euroa works in the wine industry as a viticultural consultant and said from his experience with growers the tax was not welcome. "The wine industry is certainly on a downward spiral at the moment and any new taxes is certainly going to contribute to that," Mr Milland said. "We will probably not see much of it coming to the CFA." Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland said the tax was 'cruel' and would impact every Victorian who pays rates. “But it’s our farmers, many of whom are also CFA volunteers, SES members, and first responders, who will be punished most by this 150 per cent increase,” Ms Cleeland said. “To hit regional communities with this new tax while they’re already battling drought and cost-of-living pressures is unconscionable. “It’s a betrayal of the very people who keep our state running and safe.” On Friday, Strathbogie Shire Mayor Claire Ewart-Kennedy reiterated council's message to the community about the ESVF not being a council levy or rates charge. “We absolutely understand the frustration in our community regarding the volunteer fund levy," Cr Ewart-Kennedy said. "We’ve had instances where that concern has been incorrectly directed at our officers and councilors. "This is not a council tax, it is a state government tax and we stand strong alongside our community advocating for better outcomes and not a greater tax burden."

Strathbogie Shire voice just one among 5000

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