Council Opposes Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund
At Tuesday’s Council Meeting, Ararat Rural City Council voted in favour of continuing to maintain a strong objection to the State Government’s Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF).
Earlier this month, the State Government announced a reduction in the variable rate for primary production properties, to be held at the 2024-25 financial year amount (28.7 cents per $1,000 CIV) for the entire 2025-26 financial year. The reduced rate will automatically be applied to rates notices for primary production properties.
From 1 July 2025, the ESVF is set to impose a 99% variable rate increase on residential properties, a 100% increase for commercial ratepayers, and a 64% increase for industrial properties.
Council acknowledges the unfair impacts that the introduction of the ESVF will have on all ratepayers, including farmers, business and urban residents and will continue to work with the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), other Councils and other groups, including the Victorian Farmers’ Federation, to continue to oppose the implementation of the ESVF in its current form.
Council will also publish an open letter to the Ararat Rural City community that clearly states its position on the ESVF. The letter will be published on Council’s website in the coming days.
“It’s important that our community continues to hear from us on this issue. We remain deeply concerned about the proposed ESVF and its undeniable, unfair impacts on every segment of ratepayers – from our hardworking farmers to local businesses and families,” says Ararat Rural City Council Mayor, Cr Jo Armstrong.
“We stand united in our opposition to this proposed new tax in its current form and will continue to work with other Councils and organisations to advocate for a fairer outcome for everyone in our community.”
https://www.ararat.vic.gov.au/news/council-continue-advocate-community-strongly-objecting-emergency-services-and-volunteers-fund