The Allan Labor Government has backed down on its new Emergency Services Tax, pausing it for farmers over the next 12 months. This follows the huge rally that saw thousands of Victorians protest on the steps of Parliament as well as months of community outrage and sustained pressure from the Liberals and Nationals.
The Nationals’ Member for Shepparton District, Kim O’Keeffe, has called on the Premier Jacinta Allan and the Victorian Labor Government to immediately scrap the tax altogether.
“The government’s decision to pause the rollout of this unfair and cruel tax is an admission they have got this wrong and a pause is not enough.
“Farmers were rightly furious and distressed that in the middle of a drought they were being slugged with a 150 per cent increase to an emergency services tax.
“Regional Victorians are already battling rising costs, droughts, and a lack of services.
“For the government to introduce a new tax at this time just shows how out of touch they are with the needs of rural and regional communities.
“This new tax is fundamentally wrong and should be scrapped altogether,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
The Liberals and Nationals have announced under a future government that they will scrap Labor’s Emergency Services Property Levy, a tax that rips $765 million a year from Victorian families, farmers and small businesses under the guise of supporting emergency services.
“Under a Liberals and Nationals Government, this appalling new tax will be scrapped.
“Our commitment to scrapping the tax is about restoring fairness and transparency to the system and supporting our incredible volunteers and the work they do, acknowledging our farmers, businesses as well as all Victorians who are already doing it tough.
“Every single Victorian household and business is still up for a massive doubling of Labor’s emergency services tax from July 1.
“Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage emergency services and Victorians are paying the price.