Tuesday, 28 October 2025

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:51): My question is to the Treasurer. Why are you forcing local councils to act as your tax collectors yet again, this time through your 94 per cent hike in cat and dog registrations? Councils like the shires of Glenelg and Southern Grampians have written to me directly about the financial burden they face. They are being made to do your dirty work collecting and remitting higher state charges, copping the community backlash and losing vital revenue that should fund local animal management services. Just like the new Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy, this is another example of Labor cost-shifting onto local government to plug holes in your state budget. According to your own department’s figures, there are one million registered cats and dogs in Victoria, so this hike alone will strip at least $3.9 million from Victorian households. Treasurer, when will you stop treating councils as unpaid tax collectors for your government?