1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:01,680 Speaker 1: Bit of a heads up you're on the Western Freeway. 2 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 1: We had a call come through before anytime you want 3 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: to join the show. Actually, thirteen twenty four to ten, 4 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Pete from Melton said he saw about thirty fire trucks 5 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: heading in to the city, driving side by side, no 6 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 1: sirens but lights on. All for a very good reason. 7 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 2: CFA gathering in the city CFA farmers as well. This 8 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 2: is to protest the state government's new Emergency Services and 9 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 2: Volunteer Fund. It's a new levee which is being introduced. 10 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 2: It's going to gross basically an extra two billion dollars. 11 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 2: But clearly people are furius, especially farmers and those who 12 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 2: live in Regional Victoria, because they'll they'll be forking out 13 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 2: for a levee which helps fund the CFA. 14 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:44,879 Speaker 3: And the farmers have to pay for it. 15 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: Yep, because what is there argument saying, well, it's rural properties, 16 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: that's where the. 17 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 2: And Regional Victoria are the ones that are going to 18 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 2: be stumping up for our seats. 19 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 3: Are doing it so tough anyway. 20 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 2: And someone who will be at the protest this morning 21 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 2: is Wimmer farmer Andrew Weedeman. Good morning morning, yeah. 22 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 4: Good yeah, good morning, goes how Are we all to thank. 23 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:06,759 Speaker 3: You on the way to the protest this morning? 24 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 4: Yes, No, I'm already in the city and obviously doing 25 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 4: a bit of media around this this morning. That yeah, 26 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 4: we've got quite a lot of people coming from are 27 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 4: parts of Victoria. But I want to make it very 28 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 4: clear this is every asset owner here in Melbourne is 29 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 4: also affected by more than one hundred percent in most 30 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 4: cases increased in their own shy rape notices or the 31 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 4: what was formally the fire services levy component. But now 32 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 4: what the government has done has actually put all of 33 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 4: the emergency services in under one umbrella and it's now 34 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 4: increased that. And for us as farmers, we had a 35 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 4: seventy five percent increase on the fire services levy last year. 36 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 4: It was one hundred and eighty nine percent more this 37 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 4: year and expected, you know, in my own case, you 38 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 4: know we're going to be going from twenty five grand 39 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 4: in fire services levy to well over fifty thousand dollars 40 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 4: a studident space of twelve months. 41 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: Stupid question before this got raised, who was paying for it? 42 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 4: So originally the buy services levy was actually paid by 43 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 4: every insure everybody that owns the property anywhere in Victoria. 44 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 4: And now what they've done has bundled all of the 45 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 4: emergency services in which was funded from consolidated revenue. Now, look, 46 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 4: I know the listeners know quite well and we all 47 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 4: know quite well how bad the government's been in its expenditure. 48 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,239 Speaker 4: It's management of expenditure on big projects where they've overrun, 49 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 4: and now they're trying to tack. What's clear, Victoria. 50 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 2: It's clear that your blood's boiling, Andrew, and for good reason, 51 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 2: because you're hurting. Right. How much are you and your 52 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 2: your friends and family herding in the regions? 53 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 4: Well, I think you're going to see that express today. 54 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,519 Speaker 4: I mean, we're already forty percent up on numbers of trucks. 55 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 4: I just heard you mention there's thirty, there's fifty coming 56 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 4: in from the Western Highway, there's another forty coming in 57 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,399 Speaker 4: on the Colder, and then there's another twenty to five 58 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 4: to thirty coming in on the hum. And you've got 59 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 4: to remember we've joined today with all of the Melbournians 60 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 4: here United Firefighters Union, Peter Marshall's group. We're combining with 61 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 4: them in this rally and they've been amazing in terms 62 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 4: of helping and supporting all of the people that we 63 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 4: all work side by side together with. 64 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: Now and I just want to remind people for anybody 65 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: to be stuck in this traffic on the way to work, right, 66 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: go bloody oh is this really that important? How have 67 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: you got to do it? 68 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 3: It really does that important? 69 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: You guys get hit with these levees, your costs go up, 70 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: it's going to be handed down to us. 71 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 4: Correct, absolutely, I mean that's exactly what it is. I mean, 72 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 4: but everybody's sitting in the car that owns a property 73 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 4: in Victoria, they've got one hundred percent increase as well. 74 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 4: So they've all got a stake in the game here, 75 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 4: absolutely they have, and that's expected to keep increasing. And 76 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 4: this was normally all of these services were funder some 77 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:46,119 Speaker 4: consolidated revenue and the insurance component until twenty twelve used 78 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 4: to be charged interimntly. But look it was a fair system. 79 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 4: We have in placed under the fire services levy component. 80 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 4: But this has just been an absolute cash graph via 81 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 4: broke labor government. 82 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 3: Andrew, I'm outside of this. Our farmers are in the 83 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 3: news a lot at the moment because Victorian farmers are 84 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 3: doing of bloody tough. We've had no rain where we're 85 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 3: hearing about it a lot more. There's huge issues with 86 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 3: livestock because there's not enough feed. How are you going? 87 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 3: The reality of this is really grim, isn't it. 88 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, look it is. I mean, combined with poor government 89 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 4: policy putting pressure on a lot of people, the mental 90 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 4: health and well being of the state is really under pressure. 91 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 4: And not only farmers. You've got the impact of all 92 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 4: of the ancillary businesses that are attached to agriculture right 93 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 4: across Victoria are also suffering a lot of mental health 94 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 4: stress at the people are not spending any money either, 95 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 4: even here in Melbourne. I mean even here in Melbourne 96 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 4: there will be businesses that are suffering because of poor 97 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 4: government policy and the expenditure and we don't have the 98 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 4: will pocket and guess what, we've just got another lot 99 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 4: taken out. 100 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 2: There will be some people, though, Andrew that say why 101 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:51,799 Speaker 2: do you have to shut down the city? 102 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 1: Look good? 103 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 4: There will be plenty of people, But we have to 104 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 4: make a point I mean, and the point will be 105 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 4: made quite strongly today and I can probably Garran see 106 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 4: you that this will be a day there historically you'll 107 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 4: be talking to your grandkids about because this is the 108 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 4: day rural Victoria has woken up. It's coming to the 109 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 4: city and it's here to make a set and we'll 110 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 4: be back powerful words. Repeal it. It doesn't. We're asking 111 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 4: for moratorium and the parliamentary inquiry into the effect today 112 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 4: and that's what we're ask is of the government. 113 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 3: All right, Andrew, thanks for jumping on, Andrew. I hope 114 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 3: it's safe out there and everyone looks after each other 115 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 3: as well. 116 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, just take it easy on the roads. A lot 117 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: of emotions. 118 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 2: I'd say avoid the city. 119 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely, avoid the city if you can, if you can. 120 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 3: I love our farmers and they are doing a bull 121 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 3: bloody tough at the. 122 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:43,239 Speaker 2: Moment, Lauren, Lauren, wake up feeling good. 123 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,279 Speaker 3: Follow them on the socials.