Consumer News

Consumers win with fire levy delay

6 June 2017

By Tim McKibbin – REINSW CEO

The NSW Government’s decision to delay introducing the Fire and Emergency Services Levy (FESL) is a win for consumers.

The current FESL, which is collected as part home building, contents and some motor vehicle insurance premiums, was planned to be abolished on 1 July 2017.

Under the new FESL, the state’s firefighters and the State Emergency Service were to be funded instead through a property-based levy - which would have been bad for the NSW economy in general, and some of the most vulnerable of individuals in particular.

However, this has been delayed after the government found that it would have left many households worse off, as well as commercial and industrial businesses.

I am pleased that the NSW Government listened to the REINSW and reversed this poor decision.