Three months over schedule, the NSW Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee’s report into the fire services levy (FSL) will be presented at the end of this week. It’s so long overdue that some are warily conceding a “no change” decision is possible.

The report will outline whether an insurance-based FSL funding model for the NSW Fire Brigades and the Rural Fire Service should be changed.

After initial expressions of confidence, some industry sources suggest the report may recommend no changes to the current system, although others say a new system could be implemented in 2005/06.

It’s understood the committee has bowed to pressure from the Property Council, which argued that a levy based on the value of a property would result in an unfair burden on owners of large commercial properties.

Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) Regional Manager for NSW and ACT Alan Hansell expects the report at the end of this week. The ICA-led Alliance for the Equitable Funding of Fire Services has been lobbying since last September for abolition of the FSL. The insurance premium-based funding system only operates in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. Victoria has already rejected change.