The Nationals’ Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, has taken aim at the Allan Labor Government after revelations some emergency services are being forced to pay hundreds of dollars under the new Emergency Services Tax regime.
While volunteers can apply for exemptions for their primary place of residence, some brigades and units are being charged the levy if they lease their headquarters from councils.
“It’s nothing short of a disgrace that our emergency service units are being slugged with this insidious tax,” Mr Cameron said.
“Our brigades and units – which are not-for-profits – are full of selfless volunteers who sacrifice so much to keep their communities safe, but even they are not exempt from Labor’s cash-grabbing ways.
“This tax was introduced under the guise of increasing funding for emergency services, but we know that just 20 cents in every dollar is being delivered to the CFA and a measly 5 cents to the SES.
“This was never about better funding for our emergency services – it’s about plugging a budget blackhole that is set to balloon to $194 million by 2028.
“Labor needs to stop treating our emergency services like a slush fund and start treating our volunteers with the respect they deserve.
“Jacinta Allan must move to ensure our emergency service units are exempt from this tax – nothing less is acceptable.”
The Nationals have committed to scrapping the Emergency Services Tax and reinstating the Fire Services Property Levy to ensure emergency services funding is fair, accountable, and does not punish regional communities.
“Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage emergency services, and Victorians are paying the price.”
