Council & Business
1 July, 2025
Council to formally oppose ESVF
The Central Goldfield Shire Council plan to formalise their opposition of the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) by writing to the State Government.
The motion was raised by Central Goldfields Shire mayor Grace La Vella and passed unanimously by the councillors at Wednesday night’s council meeting.
The organisation’s opposition focuses on the fiscal impact on the farming sector and the financial burden collecting the levy puts on local councils rather than using the State Revenue Office.
Cr La Vella will be sending these points to premier Jacinta Allan, treasurer Jaclyn Symes, and local state members.
“We as councillors are united in our view that the levy is unfair and we refuse to sit back while our community is unfairly penalised,” Cr La Vella said.
“It shifts financial burden to our rural communities who are already doing it tough with rising costs and current drought conditions.”
The controversial new tax will replace the Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) today and is expected to take almost $900,000 out of the local economy.
In the 2024/2025 financial year, the Central Goldfields Shire collected $1,882,604 for the FSPL.
In the 2025/2026 financial year, Council estimates there will be an $890,984 increase due to the ESVF.
However, because farmers will pay the FSPL rate in State Government’s 12-month pause, they estimate a $432,409 increase instead — meaning local farmers will foot more than half the bill.
“Whilst we welcome the 12-month reprieve for farmers – the concern for the hike in the levy for residential and commercial property owners remains – along with the issue that our farming community are set to face the same significant tax hike in 12 months time,” Cr La Vella said.
“The ESVF will not only place a burden disproportionately on already strained ratepayers — it will also have a significant impact on council.”
While the exact costs are unclear, Cr La Vella said administering the ESVF will be a burden on the organisation.
“The cost alone to administer this extra tax collection is huge — and this will ultimately impact the services we deliver to the community,” she said.
Last month, interim CEO Sally Jones said the shire was required to transfer the tax to the state dollar-for-dollar.
“This means that if a property owner decides to only pay the council rates amount (minus the tax) council’s revenue will be directly impacted,” she said.
“A proportion of all rates received is required to be paid to the state, regardless of the total amount the ratepayer chooses to pay, even though the amounts are different items on the rates notice.”
Central Goldfield Shire Council’s ongoing opposition, and Cr La Vella’s motion, joins sector-wide advocacy against the ESVF.
“We have and continue to advocate to the State Government for a more considered approach. As part of collaboration with the Loddon Campaspe Group of Councils, the Greater Ballarat Alliance of Councils, and peak bodies like the Municipal Association of Victorian and the Victorian Local Governance Association – our message is clear – without strategy, consultation, and fairness, the ESVF risks doing more harm than good,” she said.
According to State Government, the ESVF is intended to fund more of the state’s emergency and disaster response services in a time where they’re needed more often and the disasters are more destructive.