Mildura Rural City Council is part of an unprecedented alliance of protest against the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund (ESVF).
As a member council of Regional Cities Victoria, MRCC has joined forces with Rural Councils Victoria and the Municipal Association of Victoria to lead one of the most powerful demonstrations of local government unity in recent years — with all 79 Victorian councils standing together against the ESVF.
This unprecedented joint protest brings a clear and united message to the Victorian Government: regional and rural ratepayers cannot afford another state-imposed tax.
The collective of councils has formally written to Premier Jacinta Allan and Treasurer Jaclyn Symes, calling for the ESVF to be withdrawn and redesigned to ensure equity, transparency, and proper consultation with local government.
Snapshot of increases:
| Current FSL (2024/25) | Proposed ESVF (2025-26) | $ Increase | % Increase | |
| Ballarat | $14,894,229.00 | $21,126,567.00 | $6,232,338.00 | 41.84 |
| Bendigo | $15,805,791.00 | $23,224,657.20 | $7,418,866.20 | 46.94 |
| Horsham | $3,871,382.01 | $7,128,133.87 | $3,256,751.86 | 84.12 |
| Geelong | $36,830,189.05 | $55,864,820.12 | $19,034,631.07 | 51.68 |
| Latrobe | $12,356,398.37 | $18,395,505.43 | $6,039,107.06 | 48.87 |
| Mildura | $8,382,185.00 | $12,939,415.00 | $4,557,230.00 | 54.37 |
| Shepparton | $9,160,233.20 | $14,218,481.55 | $5,058,248.35 | 55.22 |
| Wangaratta | $4,922,445.45 | $8,209,963.30 | $3,287,517.85 | 66.79 |
| Warrnambool | $4,728,236.88 | $6,836,557.02 | $2,108,320.14 | 44.59 |
| Wodonga | $5,616,025.45 | $8,054,850.35 | $2,438,824.90 | 43.43 |
| TOTAL | $116,567,115.41 | $175,998,950.84 | $59,431,835.43 | 50.99 |
