“We are only funding new fire trucks at half the level required to address the ageing fleet problem.
“We are in one of the most fire-prone areas in the world – this funding needs to be made a priority.”
Mr Webb said the use of the word ‘volunteer’ in the name of the fund was completely inappropriate.
“Only a small percentage of the fund would go to volunteer agencies,” he said.
“The current levy only funds Fire Rescue Victoria and CFA – treasury’s own figures have detailed that 25 per cent of all funds collected have gone to CFA in the past two years, the remaining 75 per cent goes to FRV.
“That’s 25 cents out of every dollar going to CFA.”
The new fund would finance: Triple Zero Victoria; Emergency Management Victoria, EMV; EMV-run State Control Centre; EMV’s Emergency Recovery Victoria; EMV-run Emergency Alert Program; EMV-run Emergency Management Operational Communication Program; Forrest Fire Management Victoria and its support functions within Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action; VICSES; and CFA.
“Of these agencies, only VICSES and CFA have volunteers. Ninety-five per cent of their budgets will now be financed by the new fund – $320-million for CFA and $71-million for VICSES,” Mr Webb said.
“But the proposed additional $10-million in CFA fleet funding is still not nearly enough. The CFA requires at least $55-million each year, approximately 100 trucks, to replace the ageing fleet.
“Of the additional $610-million raised in the first year and $765-million in the second year, eight per cent of that is set to be allocated to the CFA and SES collectively in year one, and 6.5 per cent in year two.”
Mr Marshall said meetings were taking place in urban areas, and may continue into regional areas.
“People can meet their firefighters and learn about the challenges they face; 42 per cent of fire trucks are out of date, and a lot of equipment needs to be replaced,” he said.
“The current fire levy system came out of the Bushfire Rural Commission after extensive evidence and forensic analysis, and funds CFA and FRV. There’s no reason to change it.”
Mr Marshall said the extra agencies listed in the fund were already funded by consolidated revenue.
“The taxes people already pay fund those services, so there’s no reduction in the funding that’s currently in place,” he said.
“We’d like to see a parliamentary inquiry where these matters can be agitated and they can be ventilated in a proper forum.”
Ms Kealy said farmers would be hit the hardest by the new fund.
“Farmers’ contribution will increase from $76-million a year to about $204-million a year,” she said.
“That is money out of country Victoria that is going to be funnelled into major core government services, which are predominantly to service people who live in Melbourne.
“It is not coming back to our region to help fund CFA volunteers to make sure they have up-to-date appliances.
“We need to stand up for CFA volunteers and vote down this tax.”
Yarriambiack Mayor Kylie Zanker said the fund would place further financial strain on residential rate payers, and see councils face criticism.
“It is envisaged we will see our rates arrears increase in the coming years, due to this fund being applied,” she said. “If the community is not informed about how this fund is being administered and the reasons for its introduction, it is likely council may face criticism and reputational damage, as it will be deemed a council-imposed levy.”
Mr Webb said he and the VFBV supported fair, sustainable funding arrangements.
“We certainly do not support regional and rural communities being asked to absorb an unfair proportion of the pain,” he said.
“And we do not support the government trying to add seven government bodies to the levy, and abdicating its responsibilities and pretending it is doing this all for volunteers.
“We support fair funding arrangements that would provide CFA and VicSES with equitable and sustainable means to ensure that every community in Victoria has a strong, fit-for-purpose volunteer emergency service.
“But this bill isn’t it.”
The entire April 23, 2025 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!
