COUNCILLORS Meg Edwards and Nathan Hersey, of Bass Coast and South Gippsland Shires respectively, were among the protesters outside State Parliament in Melbourne on Tuesday morning fighting against the Victorian Government’s proposed Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy.

Cr Hersey said that more than 3,000 local agricultural landowners would receive an increase of just over 189 percent on top of the existing Fire Services Levy, or on average just over $1,100 per property.

“Agriculture and associated industry is South Gippsland’s largest employer and contributes significantly to our local economy, and this (proposed) levy will rip more than $5.2 million extra from our local economy,” he declared.