General News
2 April, 2025
RED HOT ANGER
Collect your own tax, councillors tell Govt YOUR tax, you collect it! Angry Loddon councillors have blasted the State Government’s new emergency services levy. Weeks from the tax’s introduction, councillors on Tuesday said the Government was...
Collect your own tax,councillors tell Govt
YOUR tax, you collect it! Angry Loddon councillors have blasted the State Government’s new emergency services levy.
Weeks from the tax’s introduction, councillors on Tuesday said the Government was hitting rural communities, taxing volunteers and launching a money grab.
“(It’s) a mistake made at a higher level,” Cr Nick Angelo said at the council meeting before backing a recommendation calling on the Government collects its own taxes.
“Make no mistake, it’s a tax,” said Cr Miki Wilson.
Council wants the levy collected by the State Revenue Office. Chief executive officer Lincoln Fitzgerald’s recommendation said: “Local government should not be required to have any part in its collection”.
The levy will see a predicted jumped of up to 300 per cent for Loddon farmers and businesses, based on current land valuations. A revaluation could be made before July 1, risking bigger hikes.
The Loddon Herald last month revealed the shire had been forced to collect more than $2.5 million in fire service levies from ratepayers in 2024-2025 and hand it over to the Government.
An analysis showed almost $15 million had been sent to Spring Street in the last decade but barely $5 million returned to support local fire brigades. Mayor Dan Straub told Tuesday’s meeting the promised new Serpentine fire station continued to be delayed.
Cr Straub said the new emergency service levy - double the fire services levy - was “throwing dirt in the face of volunteers”.
Mr Fitzgerald said the Government had also forced councils to use their own resources to collect unpaid levies.
“This tax, which is required to be passed on in full to the State Government, is shown on council rates notices as one of several line items that combine to make up the total rates bill due from a property owner,” he said.
“Consequently, it is a common incorrect perception that the fire services levy is being collected by council, for council.”
Mr Fitzgerald said there wre significant cost implications of the new levy that would be largely be borne by farming properties. “This levy will increase income to the Victorian Government to fund services which have traditionally been funded from other taxation income,” he said
Mr Fitzgerald said council had received no advice from the Government on how the new levy would be implemented.
Council will also tell the State Government that it expected “to be criticised for the significant levy charge”, opposes the current form of the levy and wants ongoing funding support for its administration