Tuesday, 16 June 2026

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (13:31): Over a thousand CFA volunteers, career firefighters, farmers and local government councillors came to Bendigo from all over Victoria on Sunday to protest the emergency services tax. Jess Wilson was there, Danny O’Brien was there and I was there with my Northern Victoria Region Liberal and National colleagues Ms Lovell and Mrs Broad and our candidates Steve Brooks and Graham Watt, but not one Labor MP was present, despite it being in the Premier’s and the Treasurer’s electorate. Where were they? I have been to virtually every rally that is concerned about this tax since the government saw the need to tax emergency services volunteers and farmers, and I have never seen a Labor MP, or a Greens MP for that matter. They clearly do not listen and do not care. The Liberals and Nationals will scrap this outrageous tax because we will always stand up for CFA volunteers, farmers and career firefighters. I do not believe that local government should be the tax collector for this state. You are a disgrace, you people over there. You do not listen to the people of Victoria – the country people that put food on the table and that put out the fires and leave their own homes. You want to tax them? Well, you will pay the price on 28 November.