LETTER: These MPs voted for new tax
Sir,
In the early hours of Friday (May 16), Labor and members of the Animal Justice Party, The Greens and Legalise Cannabis Party, colluded with the Allan Labor Government to pass Labor’s big new dog of a tax, the so-called Emergency Services and ‘Volunteers’ Fund.
Your readers deserve to know how their local Members of Parliament voted on this tax that will hit country Victorians, particularly farmers, the hardest.
Northern Victoria Region has five representatives in the Upper House, three of whom voted against, and two of whom voted to impose this tax on their constituents.
The three who voted against are Liberal MP Wendy Lovell, Nationals MP Gaelle Broad and One Nation MP Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell.
The two who voted in favour of the tax are Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell and Labor MP Jaclyn Symes. Ms Symes, the Treasurer and former Emergency Services Minister, is also one of the architects of this egregious tax.
If you live in the seat of Bendigo East, Bendigo West, Macedon or Yan Yean, you should also know that your lower house Labor member – Jacinta Allan, Maree Edwards, Mary-Anne Thomas or Lauren Kathage – voted in favour of the tax.
Don’t be fooled into thinking this tax will help volunteers – the majority of firefighting volunteers oppose this tax.
To impose this big new tax on farmers at a time when large parts of rural Victoria are experiencing horrendous drought conditions is the action of a heartless and cruel government.
But all that Labor cares about is filling their budget black holes.
When Victorians vote next year, I hope they will remember that Labor, the Greens, the Animal Justice Party, and the Legalise Cannabis Party sold them out to impose Labor’s 60th new or increased tax.
Wendy Lovell (pictured)
Liberal Member for
Northern Victoria Region
222 Wyndham St,
Shepparton