NSW property owners are about to be slugged, on average, an extra $185 as part of a reform to the fire and emergency services levy.
From the new tax year (July 1, 2017) anyone who owns land in NSW will pay this levy as part of their council rates, whereas before this levy was funded by a tax imposed on insurance companies – which was then passed on to insurance premium holders as part of their premium.
In a statement, Emergency New South Wales said this system is in line with other mainland states and will make the system fairer for all land owners. That’s because those who are insured will no longer be bolstering up those who are not insured. Instead, the cost of funding emergency and fire services will be split across everyone who may need to use these services.
“Fire does not discriminate and the community rightly expects that firefighting and SES services will be available to everyone in their time of need. It is also fair to expect all property owners to pay their share for these vital services,” says NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian.
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This may actually be a win for those who currently hold a home and contents insurance, as the lowering cost of your premium will offset the new tax and could see you save money. The Goverment estimates about $47 a year which Insurers have promised to pass on. However, exactly how much you personally will have to pay for your land won’t be known until May 1, at which time you’ll be able to calculate your required contribution on the Fire and Emergency Services Levy website.
