Benalla Rural City Mayor, Cr Bernie Hearn has expressed profound disappointment following the Victorian State Government’s decision to pass the controversial Emergency Services Volunteer Fund (ESVF) Bill last Friday. The Council has long voiced its opposition to the new levy, citing the severe financial strain it will place on rural ratepayers, particularly farmers, who are already grappling with significant cost of living pressures as well as the current drought conditions severely impacting costs and reducing income.
Mayor Bernie Hearn did not hold back in condemning the government’s move, describing it as “an unfair, unsustainable blow to our rural communities.”
Benalla Rural City Council has been proactively working in partnership with 17 other rural Victorian councils, advocating for a funding model that is equitable and sustainable. Together, they have called for recalculations to the levy formula, guarantees that funds raised locally be reinvested locally, and for the Victorian Treasurer to exempt the levy from council rate collections.
“Over the last few weeks, we have been working tirelessly to push for changes to this levy, but our concerns have been ignored. This is another financial hit to rural families, especially farmers, who contribute so much to their communities and to the broader emergency response framework,” Cr Hearn said. “The very people who are the first responders in emergencies are now the ones being burdened the most. It’s deeply unjust.”
The ESVF will replace the existing Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) from 1 July 2025, with significant cost increases for landowners, including hikes of up to 154 per cent for farmers. Farmers in Benalla, many of whom already volunteer their time and resources to firefighting efforts, are among the hardest hit. The Council maintains that the levy disproportionately punishes those who are already doing more than their share.
“This levy does not reflect a fair or balanced funding model. Farmers not only pay their rates but also spend thousands equipping themselves with their own firefighting gear. This decision adds insult to injury as these funds are not even guaranteed to be reinvested into the local services that rural areas like Benalla depend on,” said Mayor Hearn.
The passing of the Bill has triggered widespread outcry, with CFA volunteers and farmers taking to the steps of Parliament last week in protest, labelling the charge “totally unfair.” Many have expressed fear that volunteer numbers will dwindle as a direct result, with some citing the levy as the latest example of the government failing to recognise the broader contributions of regional communities.
“The Victorian Government must work harder to remember that rural and regional Victoria is not an afterthought. We face different challenges compared to metropolitan areas, and expecting farmers to pay tens of thousands of dollars more is simply unacceptable,” Cr Hearn stated.
“Rural ratepayers should not be the ones carrying the burden of what seems to be a revenue-raising exercise to plug the state’s debt. This levy undermines our farmers, risks weakening our emergency response network, and adds to the financial weight our communities are already bearing,” Cr Hearn said.
Despite this setback, Benalla Rural City Council has vowed to keep advocating for fairness. “We will not stop pushing for a system that reflects the needs of regional Victoria. This fight is far from over,” Cr Hearn affirmed.
The Council is urging the State Government to revisit the decision and to ensure that any reforms to emergency services funding support—not penalize—rural Victorians who are the backbone of the state’s resilience.