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Wellington Shire Council slams state government for cost-shifting emergency services levy burden onto regional residents

Wellington Shire Council criticises the state government's cost-shifting through the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, which unfairly hikes taxes for regional residents, businesses, and farmers, demanding withdrawal and clearer guidelines.

By news@gippsland - 2nd April 2025 - Back to News

Wellington Shire Council is calling out the State Government for its blatant cost-shifting onto councils and ratepayers, with the new Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) doubling as a thinly veiled cash grab.

Councillors passed a motion by Cr Geoff Wells to escalate advocacy against the Fire Services Levy hike, now the Emergency Services Fund, with near 130% increase in Wellington

Unfair tax increase

From 1 July 2025, the State Government is dramatically increasing the Fire Services Levy, now rebranded as the ESVF. Hitting households, businesses, and especially farmers with massive hikes of close to 130% in Wellington Shire.

Wellington Shire Councillors have passed a Notice of Motion to escalate council's advocacy, writing to the Premier of Victoria and key Ministers to demand the withdrawal of this unsustainable tax grab, which unfairly targets regional Victorians.

Councillor Geoff Wells, who led the motion, said, "This is a disgraceful attack on country Victoria. Our farmers, businesses, and families are already battling cost-of-living pressures, and now the State Government wants to gouge them even further. It's unacceptable."

Outrageous tax hike

Mayor Scott Rossetti echoed Cr Wells' concerns, saying, "This is nothing short of an outrageous tax hike disguised as reform. Instead of managing their own revenue collection, the State Government is dumping the administrative burden onto councils and leaving ratepayers to foot the bill. We won't stand for it."

Under the State Government's Australian Property Classification Code (APCC), properties classified as 'farm-capable' are being hit with extreme levy increases, regardless of whether they are actively used for farming.

Wellington Shire has 3,101 primary production properties, and all will be impacted. As one of Victoria's largest regional councils, with agriculture as a backbone industry, council is deeply concerned about the financial hit on local farmers and businesses. "The impact on our farming and commercial community will be devastating. The State Government is making councils the middleman in their tax collection scheme while we bear the brunt of the backlash. It's a complete betrayal of regional Victoria."

Levy increases impact

Under the new levy, Wellington Shire Council will be required to collect an additional $5.5 million in charges this year alone:

• $3.15 million increase across 3,101 primary production properties
• $952,000 increase across 27,961 residential households
• $536,000 increase across 534 industrial property owners
• $579,000 increase across 1,000 commercial property owners

For individual ratepayers, this means the amount appearing on rates notices will soar. For a $460,000 residential property, the charge will rise from $172.02 to an estimated $215.58. For commercial property owners with a valuation of $630,000, the charge will surge from $685.32 to $1,113.90 and for a farm valued at $2.6 million, the charge will skyrocket from $1,013.20 to a staggering $2,434.00.

Council slams inefficiency

Despite ongoing discussions with the Department of Treasury and Finance, there are now just over three months before these levy increases take effect, and councils still lack clear guidance on implementation.

Beyond the financial burden, council is also slamming the sheer inefficiency of the ESVF collection process. The system introduces complex new reporting requirements, additional payments, and a convoluted refund process for eligible volunteers.

"There has been zero consultation, zero additional resourcing, and zero consideration for the administrative nightmare this creates for councils. We have limited resources, and every extra dollar spent administering this State tax is a dollar taken away from delivering essential local services," Cr Rossetti said.

Council fights tax

Wellington Shire Council is continuing to fight back and will formally write to the Premier of Victoria, the Minister for Local Government, and the Municipal Association of Victoria, demanding that the State Revenue Office take full responsibility for collecting this tax.

"We refuse to sit back while our community is unfairly penalised. The State Government needs to own up to its responsibilities and stop using councils as its collection agency," Cr Rossetti said.

Frustrated residents are urged to voice their concerns directly to the Victorian Government by emailing the Department of Treasury and Finance at dtfweb@dtf.vic.gov.au or sending a letter to Department of Treasury and Finance, 1 Treasury Place, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002.

‍Pictures from Wellington Shire Council Facebook page.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com