Victorian government raises emergency services levy as state's deficit rises

The extra money paid to the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund will cost council ratepayers about $60 extra per person per year.

Transcript

00:00What we are seeing is more severe, more regular disaster events.

00:06So the state is boosting funding to emergency services.

00:09It's households that will pay more.

00:11On average, they'll pay an extra $60 a year in tax.

00:14For farms, it will be an extra $680.

00:16A cup of coffee a month, basically.

00:19Absolutely and totally out of touch, symptomatic of a tired government.

00:24Volunteers will be exempt.

00:25The new fund will raise an extra $2.1 billion over three years.

00:30This is a fund that I think Victorians will get behind.

00:34The new levy is detailed in the mid-year budget update.

00:38Treasurer has one thing to smile about.

00:40State debt hasn't increased.

00:42The operating deficit has deepened from a $2.2 billion loss to $3.6 billion.

00:47The economy is improving.

00:49To make more money, the state will no longer give electric vehicle owners a $100 car registration

00:54discount and a tax on inner-city commercial car parks will be increased.

00:58This is a government that's desperate, understanding that it doesn't have an economic strategy

01:04and it always picks off those most vulnerable.