Thursday, 19 June 2025

Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (17:30): (1736) My adjournment matter tonight is for the attention of the Treasurer, and I could have asked this in the budget committee, but I did not: what I seek from the Treasurer are details and figures and breakdowns of the essential services levy – the collections of the fire services levy first and then the essential services estimates broken down by LGA. Now, I did ask this in the committee stage previously on 15 May; the Treasurer came back with an extraordinary answer. I asked nicely, and she said she would get the figures, but she came back with:

[QUOTES AWAITING VERIFICATION]

Estimates of the revenue collected through the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, formerly the fire service levy, for each municipality are not published.

Well, hooley dooley – we are asking for the estimates because they are not published.

Revenue estimates are calculated by property category based on the number and value of properties and the rate levy applied to each category.

We get that.

The ESVF revenue forecast for each property classification will be reported annually.

Well, that is good. I am pleased about the classification category.

Revenue collected depends on the number, value and composition of properties in each municipality.

Yes, we get that too. It does depend on the mix of properties, but you can compare it year to year; it does change from year to year, and that is what we want to look at. So what I am actually seeking is for the Treasurer to reconsider this matter and to release the estimates of revenue by municipality. When the committee stage was on, I did have an estimate that had been prepared by the municipality of Port Phillip, and they had worked out how much levy was likely to be collected out of their municipality. Now, I do not believe that other municipalities will not be doing precisely the same thing, so this is an entirely calculable figure. It is a reasonable way to present information. It will help us understand the amounts collected and where it is collected. I welcome the fact that it is going to be available by property classification, but that is not the same as by municipality. So I am asking the Treasurer: will you reconsider this and release the information that has been sought by municipality – that is, the essential services tax by municipality?