THE Pinery fire has proved costly for those in the Lower North community but there are concerns it could also lead to a substantial bill for all South Australians.
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Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire has asked the government to confirm the Emergency Services Levy would not need another hike to cover the cost of the disaster.
“My concern is the farmers, who are the volunteers by and large for the Country Fire Service, are going to get hit again if the precedent for Sampson Flat continues,” he said. “I want to apply pressure to the government to ensure it does not happen.”
In May the state government lifted the 2015-16 ESL about 7 per cent for primary producers, touted to provide extra support to the emergency service organisations, fund the extended workers’ compensation scheme for CFS volunteers and cover costs of the Sampson Flat fire.
It provided an extra $19.8 million to the fund, with $7.5m of that directed at recouping costs for the Adelaide Hills bushfire.
In September last year landowners throughout the state were slugged with a rise in ESL bills, in some cases by up to 1200pc, following the government’s decision to remove the remission usually contributed by the state.
Mr Brokenshire said this had set a precedent never used before, by either major party, to charge for an individual fire.
He said in the past a “disaster” like Sampson Flat or Pinery had been covered by a Treasury contingency fund.
“The only other option is another hike in the ESL and people are telling me they will not pay another big hike,” he said.
“We’ve had $110m worth of increases in the ESL in just 18 months.”
He estimated Pinery fire costs could substantially exceed that of Sampson Flat and with this a “high risk” fire season, it might only be the first of more major events.
“I know, having chaired the emergency services reform committee in parliament, there is no extra money in the CFS budget,” he said.
“In fact, there will be a shortfall in the CFS budget in the forward years without a top up, according to advice we have received.”
State Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis has accused Mr Brokenshire of “playing politics and scaremongering at a time when we should be focused on supporting our volunteers as they embark on another bushfire season”.
“The state government has no plans to increase the ESL,” he said.
Mr Koutsantonis said emergency services organisations had been allocated their 2015-16 budgets ahead of this year’s bushfire season.
Mr Koutsantonis said the 2016-17 ESL would be set as part of the budget process about May next year.
“It is not possible to say what next year’s rates will be,” he said. “However it does not follow that just because a large fire has occurred, the ESL will rise.”
Mr Koutsantonis said those living in rural areas were eligible for discounts on their ESL. For those in regional cities it could be 20pc, outside major towns, 50pc, and for areas outside council areas, 90pc.
![HIGH PRICE: Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire fears the cost of the Pinery fire may make the ESL rise again. HIGH PRICE: Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire fears the cost of the Pinery fire may make the ESL rise again.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/Fuxf4VmvfUmd225xeYC69T/1d2cf4f1-4aed-4c98-a8e2-8e4ce1586207.jpg/r0_220_1554_2689_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)