Emergency Services Levy

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:23): Supplementary: can the Treasurer then tell the house, has the government considered removing the ESL remission from recreational boats and will he rule out removal of the ESL remission from recreational boating?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:23): First and foremost the government makes its policy decisions on these matters in the budget. Second of all, if we did do what the member was asking us to do that would mean that other people would be paying a higher amount on their emergency services levy bill because, like council rates, we calculate the budget for our emergency services and then have to retrofit the rates on property owners and, of course, people who have recreational vehicles and motor vehicles.

That would mean that if we exempted one group everyone else would have to pay more, and I think that the member probably knows that. What we are attempting to do, in the most equitable way possible, is to make sure that those who can least afford to pay pay the least and those who can afford to pay pay the most. That is the way, when the Liberal Party first introduced the emergency services levy, it was designed, then they offered remissions on top of that.

Unfortunately, we had to remove those remissions on the basis of the first commonwealth budget introduced by former prime minister Abbott and former treasurer Hockey, because of the dramatic cuts made to health and education.

Mr Bell: Look forward, Tom, look forward.

The SPEAKER: The member for Mount Gambier is called to order.