Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF)

Like the FSPL, all property owners are required to contribute.

Where a payment is made that is less than the total amount owing for rates, charges and the levy on a notice, Council must allocate that payment in equal proportions to Council rates and charges and the levy – even if the ratepayer has expressly indicated they do not wish to pay any part of the levy.

Ratepayers do not have the option to choose which charges they wish to pay on their rates notice.

Council is responsible for collecting the levy on behalf of the State Government, and this charge will appear on ratepayers’ rates notices for the 2025–26 year.

While this levy will be collected by Council on behalf of the State Government, we remind our community that this is not a Council charge.

Even though State Government charges and Council charges are listed separately on our rates notices, payments made to Council are allocated equally across all charges, regardless of whether they are State or Council charges.

If fees are left outstanding on your rates notice – whether it be for the ESVF or for other rates or charges – you may be liable for penalty interest and possible debt recovery action under Local Government Act 1989 and the Fire Services Property Amendment (Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund) Act 2025.

Council is legislated under the Fire Services Property Amendment (Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund) Act 2025 to collect these fees on behalf of the State Government. If Council did not include this on the rates notices or pay the fees to the State, we would be in breach of the law.

Councils are obliged to collect the levy, and we are not permitted to issue a separate invoice for the levy. Therefore, Council must proportionately allocate amount paid by ratepayers to all rates and charges, including the ESVF.

Council is concerned about the impact of the ESVF on our community, especially local farmers, and continues to join collective advocacy across the sector to highlight Council’s concerns.

Like the FSPL, the ESVF will be calculated based on a fixed charge that varies by property type, and a variable charge based on property value.

The main key changes include:

• Variable and fixed rates will increase for the expansion of funding to include other emergency services in addition to the existing Fire Rescue Victoria and Country Fire Authority (CFA). Properties rated as Farms will not see an increase to their levy until 1 July 2026.

• CFA and Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) volunteers will be exempt from ESVF on their principal place of residence (PPR).

• The vacant land category will be abolished, with vacant land being allocated to its corresponding land use sector.

While a ratepayer cannot object to the levy itself you may object to the following:

Australian Valuation Property Classification Code (AVPCC) Land Use code – this code determines the category that you pay, for example you can contend that your property is not primary production and should be residential.

Valuation – The Capital Improved Valuation that is applied to a property determines the variable component of the ESVF. If you disagree with your valuation and are successful in objecting to its value, your rates and ESVF will decrease accordingly.

Residents experiencing financial hardship, or who anticipate they may have difficulty paying their rates, charges and the levy, are encouraged to contact Council to discuss their options.

You can Request a Rates Payment Plan or Apply for Financial Hardship online or by calling Customer Support on 03 5624 2411.

Provisions regarding payment plans, deferrals, waivers and concessions have not changed with the new legislation and Council cannot enter into a Plan or Agreement where ratepayers wish to remove the ESVF component of the total rates bill.

We also remind ratepayers that a new Volunteer Rebate for eligible CFA and VicSES volunteers has been introduced as well as a partial rebate for eligible farmers who are drought affected.

The Victorian Government is administering the exemption for volunteers. Council cannot accept any applications for volunteer exemption.

The following volunteers will be eligible to apply for a rebate:

• Active emergency service volunteers (CFA and VICSES)

• CFA and VicSES Life members

• CFA and VicSES members who have served for 12 months

• CFA and VicSES members who have passed probation

• CFA and VicSES members who have not been suspended on disciplinary grounds or taken a leave of absence for the entire duration of the preceding 12 months.

For eligible pensioners and Department of Veteran Affairs card holders, a rebate will still be applied to the ESVF for $50.

Pensioners already receiving the rebate do not need to reapply.