Geelong councillor backs moratorium on ESVF levy

A CITY of Greater Geelong councillor is among the 30 local government representatives collectively against the new Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund (ESVF) and calling for a moratorium.

Coming into effect on July 1, the ESVF replaced the Fire Services Property Levy and is intended to support the work of a wider range of emergency services that respond to fires, floods, storms and other emergencies.

Local governments are upset at the impost of the ESVF on their residents and that they must collect the ESVF on the Victorian government’s behalf but will see no direct benefit.

Cr Trent Sullivan from the City of Greater Geelong represented one of the 22 Victorian municipalities that met in Melbourne on July 26 to discuss their opposition to the ESVF.

The group unanimously expressed its opposition to the ESVF, as well as its intention to form a delegation to meet with the Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Local Government to advocate for a moratorium and public inquiry; and to form a working group to further advocate on the issue.

Cr Sullivan said people outside Melbourne were dismayed the Victorian government was pushing ahead with the ESVF, and many residents could not afford it.

“Councillors want to be on the side of local people, and we are being forcibly deputised as collectors of an unfair tax that papers over cuts to services.

“This part of the world doesn’t get the same level of service as people in the city do, and cuts to services that are already under-resourced are a real concern.

“We’ve got local businesses and primary producers already doing it tough facing a doubling or tripling of the rate that they are charged to repair a budget that has blown out because of infrastructure projects in Melbourne.”

There have been some protests across the state about the ESVF, including in Geelong in early May, and councils including the Surf Coast Shire have passed resolutions against it.

The Victorian government says more resources are needed to respond to natural disasters across the state, and emergency services volunteers would be exempt from the ESVF.