Victorian families are being pushed to the brink as Labor’s newest tax grabs force more investment properties out of the rental market, contributing to homelessness through bad policy.

The Nationals State Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, said the latest massive increases to the rebranded Fire Services Levy comes on the back of soaring land tax, costly minimum standard upgrades, and an overall hostile approach to rental providers have made it unviable for many "mum and dad" investors to retain their rental properties.

“Under the Allan Labor Government, rental providers are being hit in all directions facing rising costs and impossible decisions, and the changes to the Fire Services Levy is the latest attack,” Mr Bull said.

“What Jacinta Allan is doing here is moving the funding required for services like Triple Zero and the State Emergency Service to this levy.

“These are services that were previously funded out of general revenue and while they certainly need more support, property owners are being hit with new payments of more than $600 million.

“This tax grab just frees up $600 million from general revenue to pay for their soaring interest bill and state debt. They are collecting a new tax for services they previously funded from other taxes.”

Mr Bull said it was all part of the desperate attempt to rein in debt levels headed to $187 billion with interest payments alone of more than $1 million per hour, or $1 billion every six weeks.

“Many investors feel they have no choice but to sell their properties because they simply can’t continue absorbing these rising taxes and expenses - leading to the overall reduction of rental availability.

“And these properties are not being purchased by those on the public housing waiting list, in many cases they are being purchased by those who can afford to pay the increased costs. For tenants, the consequences are dire. If they receive a notice to vacate, they have nowhere to go.

“Families who once had stable homes in the private rental market are now being pushed into crisis accommodation or homelessness – an outcome that is completely avoidable. Not a week goes by when my office hears from impacted families looking down the barrel of eviction with nowhere to go.

“Instead of punishing rental providers, the government should be working on ways to retain private rentals in the market, to ease pressure on the overburdened public housing system.

“Labor’s reckless housing policies are failing both rental providers and tenants. Without urgent action, more properties will disappear, and more families will be left without a home,” Mr Bull warned.

Caption: Gippsland East State Nationals MP, Tim Bull, raises housing security concerns in the Victorian Parliament, citing rising costs like the Fire Services Levy driving private rentals out of the market.

Monday, 24 March 2025