Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 803

❓ Hon Martin Aldridge questions the shift of funding for DFES initiatives from the consolidated account to the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) following a 6.6% ESL increase. The Minister's response indicates no specific initiatives shifted, but highlights consolidated account funding during the COVID-19 ESL freeze.

AnsweredQoN 803Legislative Council

Asked

9 August 2022

Member

Hon Martin Aldridge

Portfolio

Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

(1) I refer to the 6.6 per cent increase in the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) in 2022-23 and the response provided during Budget Estimates on 22 June 2022 which stated "there will be some initiatives that are funded by the ELS which were previously funded by the consolidated account" and I ask: Since the 2017-18 State Budget, please identify any Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) initiatives, projects or programs which were funded solely through consolidated account funding and which are now funded in full or in part by the Emergency Services Levy.? (2) please provide the total cost for each project, program or initiative identified in (1) including the breakdown of funding by consolidated account and ESL?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

20 September 2022

Responded by

Minister for Emergency Services

Response time

10 days

1. There are no specifically identifiable DFES initiatives that were consolidated account funded that are now Emergency Services Levy (ESL) funded. During the COVID 19 pandemic the 2020/21 ESL rates were frozen to support Western Australian households. This resulted in a significant consolidated account funding injected into DFES to offset the funding shortfall in DFES’ operational budget. The ESL revenue has progressively increased in the years subsequent to 2020-21, with the average residential charge for Category 1 being contained to below pre-COVID levels.
2. Not applicable.

View on Parliament of WA