National Insurance Brokers Association CEO Noel Pettersen has come out in support of the ACT Government’s rate-based levy to fund fire and emergency services. He says the only hesitation in supporting the move is the fact that the money will go straight into consolidated revenue rather than a dedicated fund.

The $84 levy will offset the $20 million funding increase for the Emergency Services Authority since 2004.

Mr Pettersen told Sunrise Exchange News the system is “much more fair and equitable than the NSW or Victorian systems which hijack insurance buyers into covering fire brigade costs for everyone”.

“The fee is also not subject to the cascading taxes that also adversely impact insurance buyers in NSW and Victoria.”

But ACT opposition emergency services spokesman Steve Pratt says the levy should go into funding fire-fighting programs. He says the Government is determined to use the funds to replenish its revenue after the 2003 bushfire.

“They [the government] are now digging further into the hip pockets of hard-working and high rate-paying Canberrans to pay for the financially inept Government’s mistakes.”