Vic Govt accused of fire services levy backflip

Posted April 1, 2011 09:20:00

The Victorian Opposition says the State Government is trying to renege on a promise to axe the fire services levy. 

Yesterday, the Minister for Emergency Services, Peter Ryan, signalled the Government may increase the levy to meet the cost of a deal to recruit 342 extra professional firefighters. 

Opposition emergency services spokeswoman Danielle Green says while in opposition the Coalition called for the levy to be scrapped.

She says the Government has backflipped on the promise because it cannot manage the budget. 

Mr Ryan needs to stop using political decoys for not delivering what he promised and that is to scrap the fire services levy," she said.

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Comment:  As many of you may know I have spoken about the FSL at length in the past.  Mr Peter Ryan even came out to see me at Coldstream and we achieved a front page spread in the local paper.

I understand that the levy may rise due to the risky nature of our climate and bush, but I hope that the levy will be a just levy.  A just levy would see every land owner contribute towards it, not just those who insure their properties.  (You may recall that the levy is based on your house insurance and people who do not insure do not pay towards the levy)

I believe that it is more important to have a fair levy rather than reducing our fire fighting ability.  

If the levy rises for everyone then so be it!