A NSW parliamentary inquiry is set to examine major changes to the way emergency services are funded across the state. It comes as the Government prepares to release an options paper outlining five potential models to replace or reform the Emergency Services Levy.
Currently, the levy is applied only to people who take out property insurance, despite emergency services benefiting the whole community. The model has long been criticised for placing a disproportionate burden on insured households.
The five new funding options have been developed following a statewide project requiring local councils to collect detailed property-level insurance data and updated land classifications. That information is now being used to help assess fairer and potentially broader-based alternatives.
The options paper will be released publicly as part of the inquiry process, allowing stakeholders and the community to provide feedback before any reform is considered by Parliament.
