EMERGENCY SERVICES LEVY —
REVENUE
1302. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the
Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the minister's
answer to question without notice 1216, asked on 4 November 2020, in particular
part (3), in which the minister said in part —
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.
I refer also to question without
notice 956 asked on 17 September 2020, in particular part (1), which states —
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?
Why did the minister answer ''No''
to that question?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by
the Minister for Emergency Services.
''No'' is the correct
answer. The reduction in ESL revenue is a direct result of a government
decision to freeze ESL rates at 2019–20 levels. Had the ESL rates not
been frozen, higher ESL rates would have been applied in 2020–21 to
offset the reduction in gross rental values in the metropolitan area to
generate the required level of ESL revenue to fund emergency services.