Sunbury-based Hume City councillor Kate Hamley is calling for urgent action in response to the Victorian government’s new Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) levy, warning it will hit already struggling local households, farmers, and councils hard.
The new levy, which will replace the Fire Services Property Levy from 1 July , is expected to be significantly more expensive – and the increased costs will be passed directly on to property owners, including local councils.
While all home owners will see higher bills, hardest hit will be farmers. In Hume there’s 234 farms, 79 are in Sunbury, and there’s 1,122 rural properties across the city, of which 272 are in Sunbury.
At Monday’s (26 May) council meeting, Cllr Hamley tabled a Notice of Motion urging the council to take a firm stance against the levy’s implementation.
She argued the financial burden will be especially severe for rural communities and farmers in outer areas such as Sunbury, who are already grappling with rising costs and the effects of unseasonably dry weather.
“We want to see our emergency services funded well and supported, but the way that this new levy has been has pushed onto our community is not fair,” said Cllr Hamley. “The levy’s design means that rural land holders and farmers bear the largest burden.
“My ward of Emu Creek is Hume’s largest ward consisting of about 80% farmland.
“Any one of these land holders can tell you just how harsh the recent dry conditions have been on them. They’re struggling like so many others that we know are already hurting across Hume. Our community really can’t afford any more costs.
“Council has already opposed the introduction of the new levy through the Municipal Association of Victoria but our community is asking us to do more.”
The motion also highlighted the risk to council budgets. Under the new system, councils will be responsible for collecting the levy on behalf of the State Government – even if property owners protest by withholding payment.
Cllr Hamley warned this could leave a “black hole” in council finances if it is still required to forward the full amount to the state.
“This is a poorly designed policy that places councils in the firing line of community frustration,” she said. “It’s not about the value of our emergency services – they are deeply respected. It’s about the lack of consultation and the unfair structure of this levy.”
Council unanimously supported Cr Hamley’s motion, which calls for:
- A full briefing on the ESVF’s expected impact on suburban and rural ratepayers, and council-owned land
- A letter to be sent to the state government urging a pause on the levy’s rollout and more meaningful consultation with local councils and affected communities
- A public information campaign to explain the levy and clarify that it is a state initiative – not a council charge
Council officers noted the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has already begun lobbying the state government to reconsider the policy, with Hume Council backing that campaign.
For now, Cr Hamley and her colleagues are urging residents to stay informed and to direct their concerns about the levy to the state government.
“This is not a fight against emergency services – it’s a call for fairness and proper consultation,” she said.
Watch the debate below…
