Strathbogie Shire Council Deeply Disappointed by Emergency Services Volunteer Fund

22 May 2025

Strathbogie Shire Council is extremely disappointed by the Victorian Government’s decision to proceed with the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund (ESVF), which will replace the Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) from 1 July 2025.

The new levy, which will be collected via council rate notices, will see a substantial increase in charges for many ratepayers — particularly those in rural and agricultural areas. The levy rate is set to double, with the residential variable rate increasing from 8.7 to 17.3 cents per $1,000 of a property’s Capital Improved Value (CIV), allowing the state to raise an estimated $2.1 billion over three years more than under the current FSPL. For Primary Production land the increase will be astronomical, with the variable rate increasing by 150% from 28.7 to 71.8 cents per $1,000 of a property’s Capital Improved Value (CIV).

Strathbogie Shire Mayor, Claire Ewart-Kennedy, said council remains deeply concerned about the financial impact this decision will have on residents.

“This is not a council-imposed charge — it’s a state government tax we are now required to collect on their behalf,” Mayor Ewart-Kennedy said. “It’s incredibly disappointing such a significant change was pushed through without genuine consultation with local government or consideration of the burden this places on our communities.”

“Our farmers, families and small business owners are already doing it tough with soaring cost-of-living pressures and drought conditions. Now they’re being asked to shoulder a levy which could double or nearly triple their rates,” Mayor Ewart-Kennedy said. “The state government has chosen to shift the financial load of emergency services onto those least able to absorb it. It’s unjust, it’s disproportionate, and it hits rural communities like ours the hardest.”

Mayor Ewart-Kennedy also expressed concern that the very volunteers who deliver emergency services are being asked to pay for the system they help sustain.

“The reality is, this tax amounts to a double charge on the very people who volunteer their time—and often their own resources—to protect our communities,” she said. “To impose a levy on those same people, without support or recognition, is alarming. As Mayor, I cannot in good conscience remain silent on this policy.”

Initial modelling by council indicates the following estimated increases:

  • Residential properties valued at $750,000 could pay around 31% more – from the changes to the fixed and variable levy rate.
  • Commercial and industrial properties may face 38–73% increases.
  • Primary producers could see an overall increase of over 110% — a devastating blow for farmers already under pressure.

Council is also concerned about the lack of clarity surrounding exemptions for emergency services volunteers, and the additional administrative burden now placed on council staff and systems, noting the insufficient lead time, from this levy’s hasty announcement and delayed adoption.

“The state has not only shifted the cost but also the responsibility onto local government, with no support or clear framework to manage exemptions or community communication,” Mayor Ewart-Kennedy said. “While we acknowledge the state government has made a commitment to working on an implementation package for local councils there is as yet no detail. “We are already hearing confusion in the community — many mistakenly believe this is a council charge, when it is not.”

Now the levy has been legislated, Strathbogie Shire Council is calling on the Victorian Government to:

  • Recalibrate the levy formula to ensure it does not unfairly penalise rural and regional communities.
  • Guarantee funds raised from regional areas will be reinvested directly into emergency services within those same communities.
  • Remove the obligation for councils to collect the levy and assign this responsibility to the State Revenue Office.

“We stand with other rural councils in saying this policy must be improved — it cannot be allowed to cause irreversible harm to regional Victoria,” said Mayor Ewart-Kennedy. “Our residents already do more than their fair share to support emergency services. This new levy hits them where it hurts most.

Strathbogie Shire Council will continue to advocate — through Rural Councils Victoria, the Municipal Association of Victoria and directly to government — for a fairer approach that respects and protects the interests of rural communities.

 

For further information:

Michelle Harris

Michelle.harris@strathbogie.vic.gov.au

Ph: 0419 386 082