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Latest MAV ESVF Advocacy

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From the initial announcement of the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) back in late 2024, through to implementing the sector-wide resolution of our May 2025 State Council meeting, the MAV has maintained our threshold position: while the MAV supports increased State funding to emergency services, the ESVF is a State levy that should be administered by the State Revenue Office, not by councils; and the levy is an unjust burden not only on councils but also on ratepayers across Victoria.

Given that the State legislation has passed with support of the cross bench, and the legal advice confirms that councils are obligated to administer the fund under the Act, the MAV has had to work as constructively as possible with government, to secure the practical outcomes to support councils through the early implementation of the expanded levy.

Our extensive intergovernmental relations work on the ESVF has included direct meetings with the Treasurer, Ministers, targeted crossbench MPs and their advisers, collaborative work alongside FinPro and the Revenue Management Association to model the impacts and challenges, and extensive proactive and reactive media coverage.

This work has not gone unanswered; achieving the following mitigation supports for councils, thanks also to the support of the Local Government Minister who has directly raised these issues with the Treasurer and Premier.

  • The State Revenue Office are now implementing the SES and CFA volunteer exemption – not councils
  • $4.9 million implementation funding from the State Government to assist councils in 2025-26 (on top of the annual administration funding to all councils) an increase of $900,000 on the Treasurer’s original commitment of $4 million.
  • 12-month freeze on ESVF charges for primary production land
  • The establishment of the State Government's Contact Centre to answer questions or concerns specifically about the ESVF to alleviate the burden on council customer service and rates teams.
  • Ongoing discussions with DTF, SRO and the Treasurer’s Office to advocate for full funding for IT upgrades on 26-27, increased administration funding commencing in 26-27, and reduced SRO annual reporting requirements – MAV, FinPro and RMA will continue to engage with CEOs, council finance and rates teams to develop these funding and reporting changes.

We've also directly supported councils by:

The MAV will continue this critical advocacy work, raising this issue again with the Minister for Local Government and engaging with the Treasurer’s Office and Department of Treasury and Finance on the implementation impacts.

We will also be working closely with councils to measure and monitor the true impact of this policy on ratepayers as well as the financial impact on council rates revenue, to provide a clear evidenced based ask to the State Government in the MAV's pre-budget submission and critically, in the upcoming State election campaign.

ESVF Media Coverage

To ensure our sector's voice - and the resolution from our May State Council - is heard, the MAV has appeared in several media stories on ESVF, including: