Goorambat CFA volunteer Jay Martin is calling on the Victorian Government to waive the fire service property levy for active CFA members.
The annual levy is charged to property owners via council rates to support emergency services.
Mr Martin points out that all CFA firefighters are volunteers who already do their bit to protect the community.
“No volunteer firefighter wants to be paid for what we do,” Mr Martin said.
“But with this role, there is a fairly heavy administrative and training burden.
“Not to mention our fundraising activities, station and vehicle maintenance, and what we do in terms of community education.”
Mr Martin said this was his opinion and he was not speaking on behalf of all CFA volunteers.
But at a time when there are declining volunteer numbers, a slight saving on rates might encourage more applications, especially with the current cost-of-living pressures.
“I don’t think we want people joining CFA to save a couple of hundred dollars. We do want them joining for the right reasons,” he said.
“But it’s important to recognise that CFA volunteers give up their time to keep the community safe.
“And an exemption from the levy, or even a reduction, would be a small gesture and a relatively modest cost to government.”
Mr Martin said there had always been incentives for CFA volunteers.
“There was certain qualifications you could secure through CFA, like a truck driver’s licence or your first aid certificate. But they seem to be getting a lot harder to obtain.
“I’ve contacted Volunteer Victoria about this, and they thought it was a great idea.”
The Victorian Government has been contacted for comment.