East Gippsland Shire Council Deputy Mayor, Cr Sonia Buckley, has spoken out on ABC Victoria, voicing the growing frustration and anger over the State Government’s Emergency Services Tax and the damage it is causing to communities across Victoria
Cr Buckley said councils have been snubbed and ignored, despite repeated attempts to raise serious concerns through formal channels. “We’ve written, we’ve called, we’ve tried to engage — and we’ve been met with silence,” she said.
Now, councillors and mayors from every corner of the state are taking matters into their own hands, travelling to Melbourne to hand-deliver letters directly to Parliament, demanding an immediate moratorium on the tax.
Cr Buckley warned that the tax is ripping money out of local economies, as funds that would normally circulate within communities — supporting local shops, jobs and services — are now being redirected to pay the tax.
This unfair tax is hitting communities hard and punishing local residents. ~ It’s time the State Government listened to the people it’s supposed to represent.
To hear more about how local MPs and councillors from across Victoria are responding — and why they say this tax is unfairly impacting communities — watch the ABC Victoria news report in the video below.