ANY extension to 12-month moratorium on farmers’ being hit with a 150 per cent hike under the State Government’s new emergency services tax could be decided by drought conditions across Victoria.
Premier Jacinta Allan on Friday hedged a question about whether the Government would walk away from its new emergency services tax that saw thousands of firefighters, including Serpentine brigade members, protest at Parliament House last month.
After the new station sod turning, Ms Allan said: “I don’t have anything to add on fire services levy on top of what I have already said.
“We have the drought taskforce, we’re monitoring conditions really closely and we’ll make decisions based on a whole range of factors including conditions.”
The 12-month stay was announced after the first meeting of the drought taskforce.
Victorian Farmers’ Federation, local firefighters and farmers have continued their call for the emergency services tax to be scrapped.
Ripon MP and Labor backbencher Martha Haylett says she has raised concerns with Premier Allan about the tax. After voting for the legislation, Ms Haylett said the tax unfairly impacted farmers.
Loddon Shire has been at the forefront of council opposition to the tax.