Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Advocacy

What is the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund?

The Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) is a new State Government charge that will replace the Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) from July 1, 2025. This mandatory levy is set by the Victorian Government but will be collected by local councils through rates notices.

How will this affect you?

The new ESVF represents a significant increase compared to the previous Fire Services Property Levy:

• Residential properties: Average increase of 29%
• Commercial properties: Average increase of 63%
• Primary producers/farmers: Average increase of 197%

These increases come at a time when many in our community are already facing rising costs of living pressures. While Council's rates are capped at a 3% increase for the coming year, this State Government levy has no such restrictions.

Our Position

At its February 2025 meeting, Council passed a motion calling on the Victorian Government to:

1. Reduce the tax burden to a reasonable increase aligned with CPI
2. Remove the requirement for local councils to collect this levy
3. Confirm that funds collected will benefit local emergency service organizations

We believe this levy is fundamentally unfair for several reasons:

• Rural communities like ours are disproportionately impacted
• The heaviest burden falls on our farmers and primary producers
• Local councils are being forced to collect a State Government tax, causing confusion about responsibility for increased charges
• There are no guarantees that money raised will support local CFA and SES services

Advocating for Change

We are not alone in our concerns. Rural Councils Victoria has highlighted that this new levy will take $139M from rural communities annually, with approximately $2.7M from our community alone. We are joining with other rural councils across Victoria to advocate strongly against this inequitable tax.

Current Status

The new levy has passed through parliament and Councils will be expected to collect these additional funds from 1 July, 2025. We anticipate community concern when this levy appears on rate notices and want to ensure our residents understand that:

1. This is a State Government charge, not a Council charge
2. Council is required by law to collect this levy on behalf of the State Government
3. All funds collected, including any interest accumulated, are paid directly to the State Government

We will continue to update this page as more information becomes available. If you have concerns about this new levy, we encourage you to contact your local State Government representative.