Question Time

Emergency Services Levy

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): My question is to the Premier. Why did the government increase the prescribed levy rate for the emergency services levy by 8 per cent this year, given that he has also removed the remission?

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Premier. The member for Hartley is called to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:10): Thank you, Mr Speaker, but it probably is a question better directed at the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Tony Abbott. This is not a levy that we were keen to remove the remission on. The way in which the levy is calculated, much the same way as the council rates are calculated, is that the corpus of funds that are necessary to fund emergency services are established and then the levy rate is struck having regard to property values, and that throws up a particular rate that then leads to the sum that is necessary to be raised.

The fundamental difference this year, apart from the overall increase in the budget for the emergency services levy, has been the removal of the remissions. That is the fundamental change in what has been charged to individual customers who have been charged the emergency services levy.

Mr Wingard interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Mitchell is called to order. Supplementary, member for Unley.