Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Anthony Roberts has today called upon the State Labor Government to thank individual and mum and dad policyholders and stop patting themselves on the back for funding the Rural Fire Service in the Illawarra.

“NSW Insurance Policy holders pay a Fire Service Levy through their insurance policies and this tax covers 73.7% of the Rural Fire Service Budget and is collected through insurance companies,” Mr Roberts said.

For the average household in NSW, the Fire Services Levy adds $121.80 to the premium paid for a combined House and Contents Insurance Policy, according to Insurance Council of Australia figures.

“NSW local councils contribute a further 13.3% of the Rural Fire Service Budget leaving the NSW State Government directly contributing a mere 13%,” he said.

“To have State Labor taking credit for the provision of equipping our fire services is just mean-spirited and tricky.

“Adding further salt to this wound is the fact the State Labor Government cost-shifted more of the cost to the policyholders in the mini-budget – adding an estimated $10 to the cost of each policy.

“The real thanks should go to those individuals, mum and dads who are forced to pay a levy on their insurance premiums for fire protection.

“To say this State Labor Government has invested unprecedented funding in the Rural Fire Service is to ignore the major contributors – insurance policy holders and rate payers.

“The NSW State Labor Government should stop the spin and come clean as to who actually really funds our fire services” Mr Roberts concluded.