Emergency Services Levy

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:26): My question is to the Premier. Do emergency services operators’ premises have increases in their ESL bills as a result of government changes?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:26): All South Australians, excluding pensioners and the appropriate beneficiaries of benefits, have received an increase in their emergency services levy, but what we have done is protected pensioners. Pensioners are the most vulnerable in our community from the cruellest and harshest realities of the Abbott government. We have done it—

Mr Whetstone: You are the worst treasurer this state’s had.

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is warned for the first time.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We have done it to protect people from the harsh reality of the cuts being made by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has targeted those who are most vulnerable in our community.

Mr PENGILLY: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Point of order, member for Finniss.

Mr PENGILLY: The federal government is not responsible for the ESL in South Australia and the rate of increase.

The SPEAKER: That is a bogus point of order. It may be a point of varying weight, but it is an entirely bogus point of order and I call the member for Finniss to order and warn him for the first and the second time. Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Currently, the regional cities and towns of Berri, Goolwa, Kadina, Loxton, Millicent, Mount Barker, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Naracoorte, Nuriootpa, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Renmark, Tanunda, Victor Harbor and Whyalla receive a 20 per cent discount on their bill. Country areas outside those listed major towns receive a 50 per cent discount on their bill and those outside council areas receive a 90 per cent discount on their bill because that has always been in place.

I notice the Leader of the Opposition is asking: will volunteers be exempted? Will these increases be reversed? He is saying that they are hurting people. What we have not heard from the Leader of the Opposition is, if he is elected premier in three years’ time, if he makes it—

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: I call the Treasurer to order. Member for Stuart, that makes you happy? You will not need to proceed with your point of order.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: So long as he abides by standing order 98, I will be happy.

The SPEAKER: Yes. Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Those remissions I talked about remain in place. They are unchanged. Yes, emergency services volunteers who volunteer in the CFS and the SES do pay the emergency services levy unless—

Ms REDMOND: I believe the Treasurer is answering a question that was not asked. The Leader of the Opposition’s question was about premises occupied by organisations that pay the emergency services levy, not about the volunteers.

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The government pays emergency services on all its facilities. In fact, I received my bill as Treasurer only the other day. Of course, it all can be reversed with the stroke of a pen if the Prime Minister reverses over the next four years his cuts to health, $655 million; his cuts to concession funding for pensioners, $123 million; $47 million in cuts to skills funding; and of course his lie on Gonski of $73 million. These cuts of $898 million made by the commonwealth—

The SPEAKER: Point of order. Member for Bragg.

Ms CHAPMAN: This is clearly debate.

The SPEAKER: I will listen carefully to what the Treasurer has to say.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The government has made it very clear we didn't want to increase or remove remissions from the emergency services levy. I will point out that the rate of the emergency services levy is lower today than it was in 2001 and 2002 when the opposition was last in government.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: What sort of remissions were in place? I am glad the Leader of the Opposition acknowledges that remissions have been removed because the whole premise of his question was that we were increasing the rate, increasing taxes. What we have done is taken away those discounts, but we haven't taken those discounts to the bottom line. What we have done is put them into health and education to make the shortfall on your friends' cuts that you have made to health and education. All they have to do is use their special relationship with Tony Abbott.

The SPEAKER: Point of order by the deputy leader.

Ms CHAPMAN: As poor as this may be, it is still debate.

The SPEAKER: If I were to criticise the Treasurer's response, it would be for referring to the opposition in the second person. Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I have completed, sir.

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer has finished the answer. A supplementary from the leader.