General News
19 June, 2026
They’re making it hard to get rebate - volunteer
MYSIA farmer and CFA volunteer Chris Rothacker says firefighters should receive the State Government’s emergency service tax rebate on their home without being forced to lodge an application.
MYSIA farmer and CFA volunteer Chris Rothacker says firefighters should receive the State Government’s emergency service tax rebate on their home without being forced to lodge an application.
Chris has been part of the bush revolt against the controversial tax since it was announced in late 2024.
He was at Sunday’s rally with son Josh and said: “Opposition to this tax is not going away.”
Chris said there were parallels with the current car registration rebate.
“You have to apply for both ... but it’s all online and that makes thing a lot harder for older people. My father is 84 and we’ve been helping him with the applications.”
The State Government has put a freeze on the emergency services tax for farmland.
However, farms leased or owned by family companies and trusts have slipped through the rate rebate regime while some farmers say they are now being hit with bills above $100,000.
Regional Development Minister Mikaela Settle in Newbridge last week defended the controversial tax.
Ms Settle said issues around trust ownership of farmland was “for the Feds”.
She said the Government was rolling out a new CFA vehicle “every four days on average”.
Volunteers like Chris Rothacker are not convinced that brigades are better off since introduction of the emergency services tax.
As protesters cheered opposition MPs at Tom Flood Sports Centre and groaned when Premier Jacinta Allan’s name was mentioned, he said: “We’ll see what happens in November.”
-----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
Councils will continue to collect tax
FUNDING has been guaranteed for the State Emergency Service if the Coalition wins November’s election and axed the emergency services tax.
Nationals leader Danny O’Brien also said the tax, that would revert to levels of the former fire services levy, would continue to be collected to local government and sent to the State Revenue Office.
Mr O’Brien said Sunday’s rally rally showed anger hadn’t dissipated in regional Victoria.
“This is a tax that is unfair to be imposed by a government that can’t manage money, it’s not about supporting our emergency services,” he said.
“It’s about filling a bunch of black holes, and we’ve seen that again today, with the release of the report ... that highlights that we’re now paying the highest emergency services levy of any state in the country, we’ve jumped up considerably.
“We’re now 25% more than the national average. We’ve seen the introduction of this tax every single household in Victoria paying an extra $72, every single business paying over a $1000.
“They (Government) put off the increase for primary producers, which was to be a 150 per cent increase. That’s put off until after the election have no doubt.”
Read More: Loddon Shire