Today, the Insurance Council Australia (ICA), together with a coalition of industry organisations including Strata Community Association (NSW), has called for long-overdue reform of the NSW Emergency Services Levy (ESL) – New analysis backs a fairer way to fund NSW’s emergency services – Insurance Council of Australia
The statement is supported by new independent economic analysis, commissioned by ICA, which found that replacing the current insurance-based levy with a broad-based property charge would reduce costs for millions of households and businesses while improving insurance affordability across the state.
For the more than one million people who live in strata communities across NSW, the benefits would be significant.
SCA (NSW) President Robert Anderson said the current system unfairly penalises strata residents and has left NSW owners paying substantially more than those in other states.
“More than a million people call strata home in NSW, and they include first-home buyers, retirees, and renters who stand to benefit most from this reform.”
Mr Anderson said strata owners in NSW have been paying up to three times more in Emergency Services Levy charges than their Victorian counterparts, despite facing similar insurance needs.
“NSW strata owners have been paying up to three times more in ESL than their Victorian counterparts, simply for living on the wrong side of a state border.”
SCA (NSW) has long advocated for a fairer funding model that removes taxes on insurance and improves affordability for strata communities.
“Reform is long overdue, and for the more than one million people who call strata home in NSW, it cannot come soon enough.”
SCA (NSW) welcomes the release of this analysis and will continue working alongside the Insurance Council Australia and industry partners to support meaningful reform of the Emergency Services Levy in NSW.
SCA (NSW) has also submitted a response to the NSW Parliament Select Committee Inquiry into Emergency Services Funding Reform/NSW Treasury Options Paper.
