With the support of the Greens, the Legalise Cannabis Party and the Animal Justice Party, the Allan Labor Government’s disgraceful Fire Services Property Amendment (Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund) Bill 2025 has been pushed through Parliament.
The dirty deal to get the legislation passed follows “Scrap the Tax” protests on the steps of Parliament this week, when Premier Jacinta Allan refused to meet with the crowd.
Over 200 CFA brigades across Regional Victoria have now taken themselves offline in protest.
Despite the outcry against the latest Labor cash grab from across the state, minor party MPs have worked together to slug Victorians with a significantly increased fire services levy, hitting farmers with the biggest increase.
Hardworking Victorians will be slugged $2.1 billion across the next three years under the new tax with Labor forcing Victorians to pay extra for core government emergency services currently funded out of consolidated revenue.
The Nationals’ Member for Shepparton District, Kim O’Keeffe, slammed the Allan Labor Government and their crossbench friends for their disgraceful decision.
“This week our farmers, CFA Volunteers and many regional Victorians impacted by this new tax turned up on the steps of Parliament hoping that their voices would be heard,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
“The Allan Labor Government has instead fallen to new lows as they hit Victorians with another tax at a time when we can least afford it.
“Farmers are in the midst of a drought and Victorians are in a cost of loving crisis.
“To think a Greens MP who represents a regional electorate and an Animal Justice MP who represents our region could vote for this bill is disgraceful.
“It was appalling to sit in the chamber and listen to those supporting this bill trying to justify it.”
The tax liability of farmers will jump by 150 per cent when compared with the old fire services levy, all to compensate for the financial mismanagement of the out of touch Allan Labor Government.
“This is another sign of a government that has its priorities all wrong,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
“The Premier is delusional, suggesting this tax will benefit our volunteers, and she made it sound like that they are happy about it, while the Treasurer says Victorians can afford it.
“She needs to look around her, come out and face the farmers and CFA volunteers and understand the impact of this disastrous tax.
“They’ll happily spend tens of billions of dollars on a Suburban Rail Loop that everyone knows doesn’t stack up while using the hard-earned cash of regional Victorians to pay for it.
“This government has turned its back on everyday Victorians, pursuing pet projects in the city with billions in cost blow outs to the detriment of our state’s future.
“Every Victorian should remember who sold them out in Parliament and who stood with them.
“Labor can’t manage money and Victorians are paying the price.”
