By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
A SPRINGVALE mechanic is urging Greater Dandenong property owners
to join him in a campaign of “civil disobedience’’ by refusing to pay
the soaring increase in fire services property levies.
Mark Holyoak, who owns Imported Car Wreckers, says his levy has
tripled from $378 to $1194 this financial year. He had expected a fall
in line with the state government’s promise of a fairer fire levy
system.
“I’m happy to pay the same amount as last year but I won’t pay
treble the amount,” he said. “It’s time other ratepayers did the same.
“If we all do it, what are they going to do? Put us all in jail? Not send out the fire services when we have a fire?
“Last year we had about 40 per cent of the factories in our street
paying insurance and the fire levy. This year, there are 100 per cent
paying and we have to pay three times more. Where does all this money
go?”
Greater Dandenong council will lobby against the fire levy revamp,
claiming it unfairly slugs its residents and businesses because they
are serviced by the CFA, compared with MFB-serviced suburbs such as
Clayton, Moorabbin and Mulgrave.
“You can be paying a different amount living across
the road,” Greater Dandenong councillor Roz Blades said. “It’s
undemocratic. Everyone is complaining to me about the cost.”
The state government’s online calculator shows a $500,000
residence in a CFA area will pay $157.50 – $23 more than the same-value
residence in an MFB area.
Under industrial and commercial rates, a $1 million factory in a
CFA area will pay $759 more than its equivalent in an MFB suburb.
The state fire levy, now collected with council rates, was
reformed to spread the cost across all property owners, rather than
burden only people who had home insurance.
Lyndhurst Labor MP Martin Pakula said the state government had
falsely claimed households would save money, yet “some are paying more
than double”.
Divina Peluso’s six investment units on two suburban blocks in
Springvale attracted the levy’s commercial rate, meaning her levy bill
jumped from $438 to $3110.
Kathryne Turton-Lane, who owns Heidi Rose clothing store in
central Dandenong, said her levy had soared from $144 to $597 this year.
“It’s not like I’m working in a bushfire-prone area,” she said.
Council corporate services director Mick Jaensch said the council would present a case for equity across muncipalities.
“Having different rates creates inequities, particularly for councils like Dandenong that border the MFB area,’’ he said.
A state government spokeswoman said properties in CFA areas were
charged higher rates due to “the higher CFA budget and its coverage
right across regional Victoria”.
– clucadou-wells@mmpgroup.com.au
