General News
21 May, 2025
Keys left at locked door as firey anger escalates
By CHRIS EARL ANGRY CFA volunteers travelled down the Calder Highway on Friday and threw their truck keys at the locked door of Premier Jacinta Allen’s electorate office. The convoy was met in Bendigo by more protesters from across the Loddon and...
By CHRIS EARL
ANGRY CFA volunteers travelled down the Calder Highway on Friday and threw their truck keys at the locked door of Premier Jacinta Allen’s electorate office.
The convoy was met in Bendigo by more protesters from across the Loddon and surrounding regions as anger rises over the State Government’s plans for a new emergency services tax.
Trucks from the St Arnaud and Donald districts kept sirens blaring for more than 30 minutes in Mollison Street.
The volunteers and police assisted motorists wanting to leave parking bays in the area.
Protest organiser Ben Duxson said volunteers, who were also farmers, had their backs to wall and were coming out fighting.
“We are not going away, we will keep coming back,” said Mr Duxson as the first of two protests at Parliament House in Melbourne in 96 hours was also starting.
“We will not stop. Jacinta Allan is in trouble with farmers.”
He claimed free enterprise was under threat from the State Government but said “free enterprise ... farming is most noble”.
Mr Duxon said most of the money that would be raised if the levy became law would be spent in Melbourne.
He said the new tax, predicted to slug farmers, was a money grab to “paper over” Victoria’s financial crisis.
One farmer and CFA volunteer said; “We are getting charged through the roof ... and we are volunteers.”
The door to Ms Allan’s office was locked during the protest and no lights were on.
Volunteer firefighters left CFA truck keys in the doorway and hanging from the handle before walking off in a symbolic protest.
Treasurer Jaclyn Symes later told radio that she already had a list of brigades to receive new trucks after the emergency services levy was introduced.
However, Ms Symes did not respond to Loddon Herald questions for details of brigades on her list.
For Mr Duxson and other protesters it was their second rally in Bendigo against the Premier in less than a year.
Mr Duxson also organised a protest when Ms Allan spoke at a Rural Press Club of Victoria luncheon last August. That rally was against VNI West renewable energy project and mineral sands mining developments.
Northern Victoria MP Gaelle Broad said CFA volunteers and farmers were angry and upset over the controversial new tax.
“This protest was not something they did lightly. Some drove their tankers 200km to get here today in a bid to have their voices heard,” Ms Broad said.
“I spoke to volunteers today who are extremely concerned about what this tax would mean for them.
“One farmer said his emergency services tax had gone from $5,000 to $12,000. Under Labor’s plan it will increase to a massive $38,000.
“Others will pay even more. These figures will simply make some farms untenable,” according to Ms Broad.