In an extraordinary admission by the Emergency Services Minister on Wednesday, all Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteers across Victoria now know what a raw deal they are getting.
Despite increasing the Fire Service Levy by an estimated $186 million dollars this year, the Minister has admitted that only nine per cent of the increased revenue will flow through to struggling volunteer CFA brigades.
With aging trucks and equipment across the state putting volunteer lives at risk, and country communities contributing millions of dollars to the tax increase, the Government must give a full account of where the missing millions have been spent.
Shadow Minister for Emergency Services, Richard Riordan, said: “Country Victorians are contributing millions of dollars extra in tax, as well as thousands of volunteer hours to keep Victoria fire safe and yet the Allan Labor Government has chosen to tax the country and spend the money in Melbourne.
“Minister Symes must immediately tell Victorians where the Fire Service levy is being spent following the admission today that only nine per cent of the money collected from regional Victorians will be given back.”
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 17 December 2024.