Victoria’s renewable energy giants will contribute just $600,000 to fund Victoria’s emergency services this financial year, while the state’s drought-affected farmers will cough up about $71m.
On July 1 last year, the Allan Government rebadged the fire services property levy as a new emergency services volunteer fund, doubling the variable component of the charge and lifting its tax take on all Victorian households and businesses from $1.03bn to $1.55bn.
But the government left the levy rate on wind, solar and battery developers unchanged, at 5.7 cents per $1000 of their assets’ capital improved value – the same discounted public benefit rate that is applied to schools, hospitals, libraries and fire stations.
It means the state’s wind and solar farms will contribute about $570,000 to $630,000 in ESVF tax this financial year, based on a combined CIV of their projects of between $10bn and $11bn.
Glendemar sheep producer Ben Duxson said the government was “rolling out the diamond encrusted red carpet” for predominantly internationally-owned wind and solar developers.
Meanwhile, the government has cranked up the levy on every Victorian business from 66.4 cents per $1000 of their properties’ value in 2024-25 to $1.33/$1000 CIV and for households from 8.7c/$1000 CIV to 17.3c/$1000 CIV.
