Tuesday, 13 May 2025

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:01): My question is to the Premier. Peter from Yarrawonga told me his emergency services bill will rise $15,000 under the government’s new tax plan. As a CFA captain for 29 years, he and his fellow volunteers are planning to park the fire truck and hand in the keys in protest. Why is the government doggedly pushing its emergency services tax despite relentless opposition from struggling home owners, drought-stricken farmers, under-resourced councils and emergency service workers and volunteers?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:02): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question, but of course some of the detail in the Leader of the Opposition’s question is incorrect. I will go through the detail of how it is incorrect. As the member for Malvern knows, this is not a new levy, this is a levy that has been in place since 2012. And if I recall correctly –

Michael O’Brien interjected.

The SPEAKER: The member for Malvern is warned.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is required to be factual. This is a massive new tax. I would ask you to ask the Premier to come back to answering it factually.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: I say this because it was indeed a recommendation from the royal commission into the Black Saturday fires to have a mechanism to fund our fire services, because they deserve to be supported because they support our community.

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question. The royal commission did recommend this for fire services, not for all the government agencies that she is now trying to charge Victorians for again.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: Disappointingly, it is standard practice from this Leader of the Opposition to be not across the detail and to mislead Victorians on these important matters.

Brad Battin interjected.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition!

Jacinta ALLAN: When we consider how we fund and how we as a community back and support our emergency services – who back and support us in the face of more frequent and more fierce floods, fires and storms – they deserve our support, which is why, using the existing mechanism that was introduced by the member for Malvern, we are, at the call of the state emergency services, recognising all of those emergency services that respond to fire, flood and those wind events and those storm events that are happening more frequently. They are more fierce. We are seeing so many parts of rural and regional Victoria today in the grip of unprecedented dry weather.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Mildura! Leader of the Nationals!

Jacinta ALLAN: My community and many communities across rural and regional Victoria – we are all experiencing this significant shift in weather patterns that is causing these more frequent and fierce fire, flood and storm events, which is why, listening to the state emergency services and listening to the needs of communities, we are supporting them with this approach.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question again. The government has not quarantined this for the emergency services – for the SES and CFA. I would ask you to ask her to come back to the question.

The SPEAKER: Order! I do not uphold the point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: There is pressure on communities everywhere as a result of these changed climate patterns, and that is why we need to support further our emergency services, who go out in those dangerous and difficult conditions. The Leader of the Opposition made reference to CFA volunteers. I hope the Leader of the Opposition has said to those CFA volunteers that this government, in recognising the great work that they do in protecting our community – that they will be exempt from this levy. I am sure the Leader of the Opposition has not said that as he continues his campaign of misinformation.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is required to be factual. I renew that point of order again, because volunteers actually have to pay this tax up-front.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has concluded her answer.

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:06): The Premier consistently claims this big new tax on everyone is to support emergency services and volunteers. Premier, why then are emergency service workers and volunteers protesting on the steps of Parliament today?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The house will come to order. The Premier will be heard in silence.

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:07): In terms of always taking the opportunity to listen and understand the concerns of people in my community and country communities right across the state, we always respect their right to come onto the steps of this place – to come and meet with us to hear their views. Indeed I have met and listened to a number of people from across rural and regional Victoria who have told me about the challenges that we are all facing, those of us who live in these rural areas. I have farmers as neighbours. I have the support of my local CFA protecting my community. I understand clearly the challenges that we are being faced with in rural Victoria as a result of these changing weather patterns, and that is why we will continue to support our emergency services and thank them for the work they do and respect them when they come and talk to us about these issues.