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Melina Bath slams Allan government's new emergency services tax, citing massive rate hikes and financial strain on Gippslanders

Gippsland households face steep rate hikes under Labor's new Emergency Services Tax, replacing the Fire Services Levy and drawing criticism for burdening families, farmers, and businesses amid rising living costs.

By news@gippsland - 11th August 2025 - Back to News

Victorian households and businesses will begin receiving council rates notices this month containing the Allan Labor government's deeply unpopular new Emergency Services Tax. This new tax replaces the former Fire Services Property Levy and delivers massive increases:

• 100% hike for residential and commercial properties
• 64% rise for industrial properties
• 150% increase for farmers

The Nationals' Melina Bath has labelled the tax as a disgrace for stripping $3 billion from property owners and local businesses over the next four years. "This is another property tax from the Allan Government, designed to prop up Labor's financial mismanagement and ballooning state debt. Families are already struggling under the weight of rising living costs, and Labor is taxing them to oblivion."

Melina Bath said Labor's 63 tax hikes hurt families and businesses, with limited farmer exemptions driving higher production costs and supermarket prices

Tax burden impact

Ms Bath said Labor's 63 new or increased taxes are hurting families and small businesses. "The exemption for farmers is a disingenuous publicity stunt as it only applies to their principal place of residence - not the entire farm. The tax will drive up food and fibre production costs and flow through to supermarket shelves in the form of higher prices."

Ms Bath criticised the Allan government for using local councils as tax collectors, with no transparency on how the revenue will be distributed. "The tax does nothing to fund frontline emergency services or volunteers - most of it is being redirected to fund core government departments that should be covered by existing taxes.

The Nationals have committed to scrapping the Emergency Services Tax and reinstating the Fire Services Property Levy. "Emergency services funding must be transparent and accountable, our country's communities shouldn't be punished by Labor because of their postcodes."

Pictures from Melina Bath MP Instagram page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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