❓ The Minister for Police and Emergency Services outlines the government's plan to inform the public about the new emergency services levy, including advertising, brochures, and a call centre based in Manjimup. The levy aims to provide more stable funding for bushfire brigades and SES units.
AnsweredQoN 769Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
With the emergency services levy to be introduced next month, can the minister update the House about what is being done to keep the public informed about this levy? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question and for his support of emergency services in this State. Keeping the community properly informed about the emergency service levy is very important, particularly at this implementation stage. Since January this year insurance companies have been providing information about the introduction of the emergency services levy and the removal of the insurance-based fire service levy. With the support of all local governments, an information brochure on the ESL will be inserted in every single rates notice that goes out this year. It will be complemented by a comprehensive advertising campaign, which will be run throughout the State from July through to September. Several weeks prior to each local government authority issuing their rates notices we will see a specific local newspaper campaign. I am also pleased to announce that yesterday the Fire and Emergency Service Authority signed a contract with the Royal Life Saving Society to provide an information call centre. It is a shame that the member for Warren-Blackwood is not here, because it is certainly very good news for his electorate. The call centre is based in Manjimup and it will operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the first instance. While the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia was selected based on the successful demonstration of its capabilities, capacities, skills and experience in supplying and maintaining call centres, it also provides value for money in terms of outcome. This is yet another way in which the emergency services levy is supporting regional Western Australia. Under the levy, for the first time our local bushfire brigades and State Emergency Service units will no longer be reliant on local government and local communities to financially support their basic needs. Last week I announced $15 million in grants to fund local government bushfire brigades and SES units. This includes a total of 83 new and refurbished fire appliances, many of which will be manufactured in Collie and Narrogin - a further demonstration of our commitment to rural and regional Western Australia.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question and for his support of emergency services in this State. Keeping the community properly informed about the emergency service levy is very important, particularly at this implementation stage. Since January this year insurance companies have been providing information about the introduction of the emergency services levy and the removal of the insurance-based fire service levy. With the support of all local governments, an information brochure on the ESL will be inserted in every single rates notice that goes out this year. It will be complemented by a comprehensive advertising campaign, which will be run throughout the State from July through to September. Several weeks prior to each local government authority issuing their rates notices we will see a specific local newspaper campaign. I am also pleased to announce that yesterday the Fire and Emergency Service Authority signed a contract with the Royal Life Saving Society to provide an information call centre. It is a shame that the member for Warren-Blackwood is not here, because it is certainly very good news for his electorate. The call centre is based in Manjimup and it will operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the first instance. While the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia was selected based on the successful demonstration of its capabilities, capacities, skills and experience in supplying and maintaining call centres, it also provides value for money in terms of outcome. This is yet another way in which the emergency services levy is supporting regional Western Australia. Under the levy, for the first time our local bushfire brigades and State Emergency Service units will no longer be reliant on local government and local communities to financially support their basic needs. Last week I announced $15 million in grants to fund local government bushfire brigades and SES units. This includes a total of 83 new and refurbished fire appliances, many of which will be manufactured in Collie and Narrogin - a further demonstration of our commitment to rural and regional Western Australia.
I thank the member for some notice of this question and for his support of emergency services in this State. Keeping the community properly informed about the emergency service levy is very important, particularly at this implementation stage. Since January this year insurance companies have been providing information about the introduction of the emergency services levy and the removal of the insurance-based fire service levy. With the support of all local governments, an information brochure on the ESL will be inserted in every single rates notice that goes out this year. It will be complemented by a comprehensive advertising campaign, which will be run throughout the State from July through to September. Several weeks prior to each local government authority issuing their rates notices we will see a specific local newspaper campaign. I am also pleased to announce that yesterday the Fire and Emergency Service Authority signed a contract with the Royal Life Saving Society to provide an information call centre. It is a shame that the member for Warren-Blackwood is not here, because it is certainly very good news for his electorate. The call centre is based in Manjimup and it will operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the first instance. While the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia was selected based on the successful demonstration of its capabilities, capacities, skills and experience in supplying and maintaining call centres, it also provides value for money in terms of outcome. This is yet another way in which the emergency services levy is supporting regional Western Australia. Under the levy, for the first time our local bushfire brigades and State Emergency Service units will no longer be reliant on local government and local communities to financially support their basic needs. Last week I announced $15 million in grants to fund local government bushfire brigades and SES units. This includes a total of 83 new and refurbished fire appliances, many of which will be manufactured in Collie and Narrogin - a further demonstration of our commitment to rural and regional Western Australia.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question and for his support of emergency services in this State. Keeping the community properly informed about the emergency service levy is very important, particularly at this implementation stage. Since January this year insurance companies have been providing information about the introduction of the emergency services levy and the removal of the insurance-based fire service levy. With the support of all local governments, an information brochure on the ESL will be inserted in every single rates notice that goes out this year. It will be complemented by a comprehensive advertising campaign, which will be run throughout the State from July through to September. Several weeks prior to each local government authority issuing their rates notices we will see a specific local newspaper campaign. I am also pleased to announce that yesterday the Fire and Emergency Service Authority signed a contract with the Royal Life Saving Society to provide an information call centre. It is a shame that the member for Warren-Blackwood is not here, because it is certainly very good news for his electorate. The call centre is based in Manjimup and it will operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the first instance. While the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia was selected based on the successful demonstration of its capabilities, capacities, skills and experience in supplying and maintaining call centres, it also provides value for money in terms of outcome. This is yet another way in which the emergency services levy is supporting regional Western Australia. Under the levy, for the first time our local bushfire brigades and State Emergency Service units will no longer be reliant on local government and local communities to financially support their basic needs. Last week I announced $15 million in grants to fund local government bushfire brigades and SES units. This includes a total of 83 new and refurbished fire appliances, many of which will be manufactured in Collie and Narrogin - a further demonstration of our commitment to rural and regional Western Australia.
I thank the member for some notice of this question and for his support of emergency services in this State. Keeping the community properly informed about the emergency service levy is very important, particularly at this implementation stage. Since January this year insurance companies have been providing information about the introduction of the emergency services levy and the removal of the insurance-based fire service levy. With the support of all local governments, an information brochure on the ESL will be inserted in every single rates notice that goes out this year. It will be complemented by a comprehensive advertising campaign, which will be run throughout the State from July through to September. Several weeks prior to each local government authority issuing their rates notices we will see a specific local newspaper campaign. I am also pleased to announce that yesterday the Fire and Emergency Service Authority signed a contract with the Royal Life Saving Society to provide an information call centre. It is a shame that the member for Warren-Blackwood is not here, because it is certainly very good news for his electorate. The call centre is based in Manjimup and it will operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the first instance. While the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia was selected based on the successful demonstration of its capabilities, capacities, skills and experience in supplying and maintaining call centres, it also provides value for money in terms of outcome. This is yet another way in which the emergency services levy is supporting regional Western Australia. Under the levy, for the first time our local bushfire brigades and State Emergency Service units will no longer be reliant on local government and local communities to financially support their basic needs. Last week I announced $15 million in grants to fund local government bushfire brigades and SES units. This includes a total of 83 new and refurbished fire appliances, many of which will be manufactured in Collie and Narrogin - a further demonstration of our commitment to rural and regional Western Australia.
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