A LABOR backbencher admitted on Monday to seeking from her party leaders ‘massive’ changes to the state government’s proposed Emergency Services Victoria Fund (ESVF) the day before more than 400 SES and CFA personnel crammed the steps of Parliament to protest the new levy.
Question time in the Lower House on Wednesday opened with the Leader of the Opposition Brad Battin asking Premier Jacinta Allan if there was backbench pressure to change the bill.
In video posted on Instagram on Monday, Member for Rippon Martha Haylett is seen talking with CFA volunteer Jonathon Keith at Old Beaufort Primary School on Monday, in which Ms Haylett says that after voting for the bill she then sought large amendments to it from the premier and treasurer.
“Since then, I have gone and spoken to the premier and have spoken to the treasurer,” Ms Haylett said.
“And I understand it is having (a) huge impact on farmers and I want to see massive changes on it.”
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Mr Battin asked the premier in Parliament on Wednesday if she would ignore members of her own backbench who did not support the bill.
Ms Allan said a variety of views had been considered in drafting the legislation.
“In the development of government policy and initiatives, of course we take on board a whole range of views,” Ms Allan said.
“And (we) understand the responsibilities of being in government is doing the hard work, doing the detailed work and understanding the need to make decisions that are about supporting the future, whether it’s the future of the emergency services (or) the future of protecting regional communities.”
Over 400 CFA and SES volunteers and staff crammed Parliament House's steps to protest against the levy on Tuesday and heard from leaders of farming peak bodies and opposition members.
Baddaginnie CFA volunteers Wendy McCarthy and Melinda Pentreath attended the protest and both said the levy had been introduced to them ‘deceitfully’.
“I think there has been a lot of misinformation passed around,” Ms Pentreath said.
“It’s been drip fed, there’s been little bits and pieces and by now, when everyone has connected the dots, we see we are all going to be impacted.
“The whole of Victoria is going to be impacted by it.”
Ms McCarthy said their brigade needed funding to buy a new truck.
“The one we have at the moment can only take two in front and the other three of the five-member unit are in rollover protection in the back,” Ms McCarthy said.
“If you are turning out to a fire and it’s very smoky then they are exposed to those elements.
“We could do with a dual cab truck.”
Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad told The Euroa Gazette that opposition to the bill was statewide.
"It is clear here there are people from right across the the state and they are so frustrated that they are carrying the heavy burden of this tax and it is because Labor cannot manage money," Ms Broad said.
"They are just footing another $2bn bill that’s being ripped out of regional communities."
Ms Broad also said she would have liked seeing some Upper House cross bench members attend the rally.
"It would have been good to see some of the cross benchers and the greens out here today, because, if they were, they would understand the frustrations being felt by these communities."
