EMERGENCY
SERVICES LEVY — REVENUE
1216. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the
Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the minister's
answer to question without notice 956 asked on 17 September 2020. When he was
asked, ''Is the indicated reduction of ESL revenue due to this year's
revaluation of the gross rental value or unimproved value of properties by the
WA Valuer-General?'', the minister answered no. I refer also to the
Legislative Assembly estimates of 22 October 2020, when the Fire and Emergency
Services Commissioner was recorded as saying —
The decision by government to keep
the ESL rate rise at zero per cent meant that once the revaluation of the
metropolitan area from a gross rental value was done, which occurs on a rolling
three-year cycle as I understand it, there was a reduction in GRV of circa 10
per cent. That meant, effectively, the ESL was reduced, which led to that
figure.
(1) Has the minister or the
commissioner misled the Parliament in their conflicting answers?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If no to (1), why is the ESL
revenue collected expected to be down by $34 million?
(4) Will the
minister guarantee that no emergency brigade or service will have a reduction
in funding in 2020–21 compared with 2019–20 despite this
reduction in income?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank Hon Dr Steve Thomas for some
notice of the question.
(1) No.
(2) The reason
for the reduction in emergency services levy revenue this year is due to a government
decision to freeze the ESL rates at 2019–20 levels.
(3) Applying 2019–20
ESL rates to 2020–21 gross rental values, which have decreased overall
as a result of the revaluation by the WA Valuer-General, has resulted in less
ESL revenue being raised this year. Had the freeze in ESL not been applied, ESL
rates would have been adjusted in 2020–21 to offset the impact of the
decrease in gross rental values and ensure that there would not be a shortfall
in revenue.
(4) Yes. DFES'
overall funding has not been reduced and thus there will be no impact on the
delivery of emergency services. The
shortfall in funding from this year's ESL revenue has been met by a state
government appropriation to DFES.