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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (21 November) . . Page.. 4227 ..

MOTOR TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT) BILL (No 3)1996

Road Rescue Fee

The Government has decided, in the Budget context, to introduce a Road Rescue Fee of $15 which will commence on 1 January 1997. As announced by the Chief Minister, the fee will offset the cost of a fifth ambulance and crew to commence 24 hour operations this year.

Revenue collected from the fee will be paid to Territorial Revenue, and the Government's payment for outputs to the Emergency Services Bureau has been increased for the provision of a higher level of road rescue services to the community. The increased services will encompass road accident rescue, pre-hospital paramedic care, and transport associated with road accidents.

The Government seeks to deliver an agreed level of services to the community, and the revenue collected directly from the community focuses the Government on the required level of service and the cost of providing those services. These services include road accident rescue, pre-hospital paramedic care and any associated transport.

The Road Rescue Fee will be applied to all registered motor vehicles in the ACT other than those vehicles which are registered at nominal fees because of their limited exposure to normal road traffic conditions. Those vehicles include veteran, vintage and historic motor vehicles. Trailers and caravans are also exempt from the fee.

The Road Rescue Fee will be collected at the time registration fees are paid, for administrative simplicity. Registration certificates and renewal notices will show the fee as being separate from any fees or charges involved in the registration process.

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