Hansard - ACT Legislative Assembly

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 6 Hansard (22 June) . . Page.. 1660 ..

Emergency Services Insurance Levy

(Question No. 140)

Mr Hargreaves asked the Chief Minister, upon notice, on 4 May 1999:

In relation to the expenditure of Emergency Services Insurance Levy on community services -

(1) How much has been spent on community services.

(2) Which community services have received money.

(3) How much did they receive.

Ms Carnell

: The answer to the Member's question is as follows:

The revenue from the Emergency Services Insurance Levy is not hypothecated. This is the case for the majority of the Territory's revenues. This provides budgetary flexibility to government, and enables redirection of resources as necessary.

(2) and (3) The Government's community services and community grants program is

substantially larger than the $10 million collected as insurance levy. The

expenditure on community grants and services in 1998-99 is estimated at

$56.6 million, and this is for services ranging from health services to

environment grants.

The estimated operating expenditure for the General Government Sector in

1998-99 totals $1.711 billion, and the estimated operating result is a loss of

$149.9 million. It implies therefore that the entire amount of $10 million

collected from the Emergency Services Insurance Levy will be utilised in

providing services.