Media Release – December 10, 2015
The Volunteer Fire Fighters Association (VFFA) congratulates the NSW State Government on the news that an Emergency Services Property Levy will replace the current insurance based model.
Under the current system, a large portion of emergency services funding is collected using a levy placed upon insurance policies. Only property owners who hold insurance contribute to emergency services funding.
This will change under the new system that will be implemented from July 2017. All property owners will pay the levy, not just those who hold insurance.
This is a much fairer system of collecting funds for firefighting and state emergency services in NSW, it will spread the financial burden of the emergency services levy, and means that the majority of property owners will pay less.
The VFFA President, Brian Williams said “The VFFA has supported a change to the emergency service levy since it was first muted in 2012. We ran a four-page article in the Summer Edition of the 2012 VFFA magazine highlighting the need for change. We are delighted that a fairer and more transparent system will be introduced”.
For more information, please contact:
VFFA President, Brian Williams on (02) 4567 0216 or
VFFA Vice President, Mick Holton on 0428 985 468
Additional Information about the Emergency Services Levy
We have included a range of links below. You are most welcome to submit a comment below. All appropriate comments will be considered for publishing.
VFFA Media Release
(click the image below)
VFFA Articles
(a) VFFA Welcomes Review of Rural Fire Service Levy – June 17, 2012 (click HERE)
(b) The VFFA Welcomes Reform of Funding for NSW Emergency Services – August 6, 2012 (click HERE)
(c) The VFFA Magazine, Summer Edition 2012 (click HERE). You can scroll through the pages or use the download link.
ABC News Article
(a) NSW homeowners better off under new emergency levy, Treasurer Glady Berejiklian – ABC News (click logo)
Totally agree that every property owner should contribute to the provision of emergency services BUT can anyone explain to me how “most property owners will be better off” My current policy has a $171.00 ESL included. If (and it’s a big if) my insurance premium is reduced by $40.00 as stated in the media release and I then pay the $160.00 rate based ESL aren’t I actually $121.00 worse off?
Good to know this move will generate a new opening for bureaucracy through the appointment of an ESL monitoring Director & Deputy. Together with the obligatory office space and staffing the cost of this venture is bound to be a worthwhile exercise.
Greg
Thanks for your comment and I can understand your concern about a potential for another level of bureaucracy.
Your situation should actually improve. You might only save $11 but you should not be worse off.
My suggestion is to get out your policy and have a play with some of the ESL calculators from other states.
My insurance costs are $1570 per annum.
The ESL amount is $198.93
I should save approx. $38.00 per annum.
Based upon the WA ESL Calculator, I stand to save even more than that.
Regards
Mick Holton
VFFA Vice President
Thanks for the response Mick but you are stating that the Insurers will be removing the TOTAL amount allocated to the current ESL when the Govt is suggesting an insurance premium reduction of only $40.00 which, I assume, is based on similar situations when Qld & Vic went down the path of rate based ESLs
Currently the insurers enjoy a $30m pa windfall as a “collection fee” No way will we receive a full rebate of our current ESL payment.
I have written to my State Member for clarification on some issues of concern & will advise once I receive his response.
Regards, Greg.
Greg
Thanks for the discussion and follow up correspondence with your local member.
The VFFA welcomes sensible discussion and feedback to ensure that we are heading in the right way, your input is appreciated.
Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian said Treasury modelling showed home and contents insurance would fall by an average of $200, delivering average savings of $40 to households who have insurance.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/ratepayers-to-pay-new-emergency-services-levy-but-insurance-costs-to-fall-20151209-gljzwe.html#ixzz3vBDsRONX
There was an interesting paper published by the Insurance Australia Group (IAG) in 2012 at https://www.nrma.com.au/sites/default/files/NRMA-Documents/Submission-on-NSW-Government-Discussion-Paper-Funding-Our-Emergency-Services.pdf
Regards
Mick Holton
VFFA Vice President