Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:39): (803) My question is also to the Treasurer. I ask very simply: will the Treasurer guarantee every cent – all the money – collected by the new Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy will be spent on frontline fire services rather than sloshing around in consolidated revenue?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:39): Mr Davis, I really, really wanted to be able to say yes to your question, but you have phrased it wrong. Yes, I can guarantee that every cent raised from the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund will go to emergency services. You asked if it would go to fire and fire alone. I can confirm that this is about the broader emergency services family. This is about the personnel who turn out day in, day out not just to fires but also to floods, to storms et cetera. Unfortunately, you phrased your question wrong. I would love to say yes. If I were you and I asked myself the question, ‘Will every cent be spent on emergency services?’, I could answer yes.
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:40): Further to this point, I note that the budget update says that $2.1 billion will be collected over four years of the forward estimates by this tax, and I therefore ask the Treasurer: will she guarantee that the existing fire services levy will be abolished in full to prevent any double dipping and there will be no changes to the funding formula for the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy over the forward estimates?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:41): A lot of this was explained at the announcement, so I will be sure to send you a copy of the media release, Mr Davis. The Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund will come in as legislation and will fully replace the fire services property levy. In relation to some of the settings, I will make that very clear in the legislation.