The Victorian Labor Party has announced it will permanently freeze the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) levy currently charged on farmland if it wins the November state election.
Both the Coalition and One Nation have already committed to scrap the tax if elected, amidst large protest from regional and rural Victorians.
What’s that: The ESVF was first introduced in July 2025 and was created to raise funds for fire services, the State Emergency Service, Triple-Zero and other vital services.
All Victorians contribute to the tax, however farmers face paying larger amounts due to the value of their land.
The rate was capped at 28.7 cents for every $1,000 of a property’s market value – the 2024/25 rate – last May.
The announcement: The state’s Agriculture Minister Michaela Settle and the Coalition’s spokesperson on agriculture Emma Kealy appeared on ABC Radio’s “Victorian Country Hour” program on Thursday.
Settle said if Labor is re-elected in the upcoming election, the rate would not change.
Scrap, not cap: Kealy said a Coalition government would abolish the tax within its first 100 days in power and reinstate the former levy.
🗣️“It is unfair for any tax to be put on productive land,” she said. “This is nothing more than a tax grab to boost the bottom line.”
One Nation has also announced it would repeal the tax, if elected.
What they said: In a statement following the announcement, Victorian Farmers Federation president Ryan Milgate said while it was welcome, the VFF would still advocate for a fairer and more transparent funding model for the state’s emergency services.
🗣️ “The fundamental design of the ESVF is still flawed, and that hasn’t changed,” he said.
Header Image: Ararat Rural City Council