By Catherine Watson
BASS Coast Shire councillors are maintaining the rage against the controversial Emergency Services Volunteers Fund (ESVF) and vowed to make the State Government pay at next year's state election.
At yesterday’s council meeting, they voted unanimously to call on the State Government to repeal the levy, joining dozens of other councils around the state.
Cr Brett Tessari, who moved the motion, was scathing in his criticism of the State Government not just for the levy but for forcing councils to collect it.
“The state knows damn well how this is going to play out. It will be councils copping the blame, while they sit back with their coffers full.
BASS Coast Shire councillors are maintaining the rage against the controversial Emergency Services Volunteers Fund (ESVF) and vowed to make the State Government pay at next year's state election.
At yesterday’s council meeting, they voted unanimously to call on the State Government to repeal the levy, joining dozens of other councils around the state.
Cr Brett Tessari, who moved the motion, was scathing in his criticism of the State Government not just for the levy but for forcing councils to collect it.
“The state knows damn well how this is going to play out. It will be councils copping the blame, while they sit back with their coffers full.
“Once again it shows the arrogance of the State Government to push their dirty work onto local government and know that we're going to cop it and they will get off scot free.”
The ESVF is set to collect just over $15 million from Bass Coast ratepayers in 2025/26 — a 43 per cent increase on the $10.56 million collected last year under the former Emergency Services Levy.
While the State Government has paused the increased variable rate for farmers, following statewide protests, the ESVF will still pass on significant levy increases to other ratepayers in 2025/26:
• Residential ratepayers from 8.7c/$1,000 CIV to 17.3 c/$1,000 CIV
• Commercial ratepayers from 66.4c/$1,000 CIV to 133c/$1,000 CIV
• Industrial ratepayers from 81.1c/$1,000 CIV to 133c/$1,000 CIV
Cr Jan Thompson described the levy as “a tax by stealth” and “a coward’s act”.
“Roll on 2026 elections. We will not forget. This collective group are grabbing any money they can find off us to fund the crisis that our state is in, which we all know is an absolute disaster.
“To have the audacity to make councils collect this tax is a coward's act. Two things I say to this Victorian government on behalf of all ratepayers: get your hands off our money and do your own dirty work.”
Cr Tim O’Brien said the fact that the government had passed the levy on to councils to collect showed “they know this stinks, especially in regard to farmers who make up the volunteers who are protecting our communities. It's astonishingly unjust."
Cr Ron Bauer warned the levy would hit rural communities especially hard.
“If the state government thinks the ESVF is such a winner, then put a moratorium on the levy and make next year's election a referendum on this levy.”
Bass Coast Mayor Rochelle Halstead said the levy would drain $15 million from the local economy, money that could otherwise support local businesses and families.
“The fact that they would smoke and mirrors it with the most down-to-earth, amazing members of our community that volunteer their time and risk their lives to protect everybody else is just disgraceful.
“This has got nothing to do with emergency services. This is all to do with them filling a massive black hole that they have been digging for the last 10 years to all go to Melbourne. It's all the big Melbourne projects that have blown out of budget.”
The ESVF is set to collect just over $15 million from Bass Coast ratepayers in 2025/26 — a 43 per cent increase on the $10.56 million collected last year under the former Emergency Services Levy.
While the State Government has paused the increased variable rate for farmers, following statewide protests, the ESVF will still pass on significant levy increases to other ratepayers in 2025/26:
• Residential ratepayers from 8.7c/$1,000 CIV to 17.3 c/$1,000 CIV
• Commercial ratepayers from 66.4c/$1,000 CIV to 133c/$1,000 CIV
• Industrial ratepayers from 81.1c/$1,000 CIV to 133c/$1,000 CIV
Cr Jan Thompson described the levy as “a tax by stealth” and “a coward’s act”.
“Roll on 2026 elections. We will not forget. This collective group are grabbing any money they can find off us to fund the crisis that our state is in, which we all know is an absolute disaster.
“To have the audacity to make councils collect this tax is a coward's act. Two things I say to this Victorian government on behalf of all ratepayers: get your hands off our money and do your own dirty work.”
Cr Tim O’Brien said the fact that the government had passed the levy on to councils to collect showed “they know this stinks, especially in regard to farmers who make up the volunteers who are protecting our communities. It's astonishingly unjust."
Cr Ron Bauer warned the levy would hit rural communities especially hard.
“If the state government thinks the ESVF is such a winner, then put a moratorium on the levy and make next year's election a referendum on this levy.”
Bass Coast Mayor Rochelle Halstead said the levy would drain $15 million from the local economy, money that could otherwise support local businesses and families.
“The fact that they would smoke and mirrors it with the most down-to-earth, amazing members of our community that volunteer their time and risk their lives to protect everybody else is just disgraceful.
“This has got nothing to do with emergency services. This is all to do with them filling a massive black hole that they have been digging for the last 10 years to all go to Melbourne. It's all the big Melbourne projects that have blown out of budget.”