Benalla Rural City Council has long voiced its opposition to the new levy, citing the severe financial strain it will place on rural ratepayers, particularly farmers, who are already grappling with significant cost-of-living pressures as well as the current drought conditions severely impacting costs and reducing income.
Cr Hearn did not hold back in condemning the government’s move, describing it as “an unfair, unsustainable blow to our rural communities”.
Council has been proactively working in partnership with 17 other rural Victorian councils, advocating for a funding model that is equitable and sustainable.
Together, they have called for recalculations to the levy formula, guarantees that funds raised locally be reinvested locally, and for the Victorian treasurer to exempt the levy from council rate collections.
“Over the last few weeks, we have been working tirelessly to push for changes to this levy, but our concerns have been ignored,” Cr Hearn said.
“This is another financial hit to rural families, especially farmers, who contribute so much to their communities and to the broader emergency response framework.
“The very people who are the first responders in emergencies are now the ones being burdened the most. It’s deeply unjust.”
The ESVF will replace the existing Fire Services Property Levy from July 1, with significant cost increases for landowners, including hikes of up to 154 per cent for farmers.
Farmers in Benalla, many of whom already volunteer their time and resources to firefighting efforts, are among the hardest hit.
Cr Hearn said council maintained that the levy disproportionately punished those who were already doing more than their share.
“This levy does not reflect a fair or balanced funding model,” she said.
“Farmers not only pay their rates but also spend thousands equipping themselves with their own firefighting gear.
“This decision adds insult to injury, as these funds are not even guaranteed to be reinvested into the local services that rural areas like Benalla depend on.”
The passing of the bill has triggered widespread outcry, with CFA volunteers and farmers taking to the steps of parliament in protest, labelling the charge totally unfair.
Many have expressed fear that volunteer numbers will dwindle as a direct result, with some citing the levy as the latest example of the government failing to recognise the broader contributions of regional communities.
“The Victorian Government must work harder to remember that rural and regional Victoria is not an afterthought,” Cr Hearn said.
“We face different challenges compared to metropolitan areas, and expecting farmers to pay tens of thousands of dollars more is simply unacceptable.
“Rural ratepayers should not be the ones carrying the burden of what seems to be a revenue-raising exercise to plug the state’s debt.
“This levy undermines our farmers, risks weakening our emergency response network, and adds to the financial weight our communities are already bearing.”
Despite this setback, council has vowed to keep advocating for fairness.
“We will not stop pushing for a system that reflects the needs of regional Victoria. This fight is far from over,” Cr Hearn said.
Benalla Rural City Council is urging the government to revisit the decision and to ensure that any reforms to emergency services funding support — not penalise — rural Victorians, whom it says are the backbone of the state’s resilience.
