Politics & Council
15 December, 2025
Delay position ‘shows panic’
LODDON Mayor Dan Straub says the Government had adopted a panic position in delaying the 150 per cent emergency services tax on farmers.
“They don’t know how to administer a tax that all 79 councils across Victoria don’t support,” he said on Monday.
“The Government says it wants to stop misinformation ... what’s being said about the tax and what it will mean for farmers is actually true.”
The Government has been under pressure all year with all five Loddon councillors attending the Melbourne protest rally against the tax in May.
“It’s not over though,” said Cr Straub. “The Government has made a temporary decision after being under consistent pressure.
“We have to get sensible policies and we don’t want these unfathomable increases.”
Peak local government organisations have used their annual conferences this year to oppose the emergency services tax that was announced days before Christmas last year by then-Treasurer Tim Pallas who resigned from Parliament soon after.