High Country Times
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
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Groundbreaking fossil discovery Pages 4-5
Drought hits farmers hard Pages 3 & 27
BOOSTER BUZZ COUNCIL staff, local businesses and residents joined forces last week to transform the High Street median strip into a kids’ nature play and chill zone - part of a bold six-month Town Booster Program trial. The hands-on makeover capped off a week of community workshops and events. Full story page 11. PHOTO: Mansfield Shire Council
Burnt by the bill New state tax ‘too much to bear’ for struggling farmers, says McLeish By ANDY WILSON
North East Media have said they face increases to the levy of up to and over $4000. A LATE night sitting of Victoria’s The ESVF replaces the previous upper house which saw the passcheaper Fire Services Levy and will ing of the government’s Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund (ESVF) be charged along with council rates each year. has failed to quell vocal opposition On Tuesday 13 May, over 400 to the new law. After a marathon sitting on Thurs- CFA and SES volunteers and staff crammed Parliament House’s steps day, the government passed the to protest against the levy and heard bill with help from the crossbench, including the Greens, Animal Justice from leaders of farming peak bodies and opposition members. Party, and Legalise Cannabis VictoFive fire trucks and other support ria, after negotiating amendments which included an average reduction vehicles blocked one lane of Spring Street as the crowd heard from of $150 per year. Local farmers who have spoken to leaders of peak farming groups and
opposition parliamentarians, with protesters chanting ‘scrap the tax’ between speeches. Member for Eildon Cindy McLeish attended the rally and on Friday questioned what ‘promises’ were made to the crossbench to secure the upper house vote. “Just when you think the state Labor government can’t get any worse, they do,” Ms McLeish said. “We can only guess what deal Labor did with the Greens and Animal Justice to get the fund over the line.” She said the levy would make current tough conditions for farmers even tougher.
“The farmers in Mansfield who are in severe drought conditions will not be dancing over dried paddocks about a 150 per cent increase on what they were paying for the Fire Services Levy.” The ESVF will come into effect from July 1, with households seeing their rates almost double, commercial properties increase by 100 per cent, industrial rates by 64 per cent, and farmers paying an extra 150 per cent. In response to the bill passing the upper house, over 300 CFA brigades went offline on Thursday night in protest. ■ Continued page 12
MPS fundraising for cancer Page 19
Bombers blitz Greta
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