By DANE LILLINGSTONE
Southern Downs Regional Council ratepayers face being slugged with higher rates notices after changes to the Emergency Management Levy (EML) in Queensland.
Although the changes will not affect everyone, local ratepayers will not be happy to see any additional hikes to their rates with the State Government now ordering the enforcement of the new EML.
The State Government’s introduction and enforcement of the amendments mean ratepayers in the state will be charged the levy based on the number of lots they own within a prescribed property as opposed to the former system where the EML was applied per property.
Southern Downs Regional Council’s Mayor Peter Blundell said that council was still in the process of working out how it would affect ratepayers in the Southern Downs.
“The Emergency Management Levy is imposed by the State Government to fund emergency services in Queensland and councils are required to collect this levy from ratepayers on behalf of the State Government,” he said.
“Council would need to undertake an analysis of rateable properties to understand how the broader application of the Emergency Management Levy would impact on ratepayers in the Southern Downs.”
The Liberal National Party Government reformed the Urban Fire Levy to create the Emergency Management, Fire and Rescue Levy, which it introduced last year.
It was met with a mixed reaction at the time.
Now in opposition, Liberal National Party leader Lawrence Springborg said the changes made by the State Government were unfair.
“These changes amount to nothing more than a sneaky cash grab by a Labor government with no plan for Queensland’s economy,” he said.
“Queenslanders with more than one lot on their property will bear the biggest cost as they will be charged for each and every single lot instead of one charge per property.
“Before the election, Annastacia Palaszczuk promised there would be no new or increased taxes under her government.
“Now we know she has broken this promise.”
Mr Springborg also said that the Southern Downs Regional Council would shoulder the blame for any increase in rates due to the council’s responsibility for collecting the levy for the State Government.
“This is an unfair slug on ratepayers in my electorate,” he said.
“The changes will mean a considerable increase to how much some property owners are paying each year.
“If you add this sneaky charge to the increase in electricity prices and car rego, then what you have under Labor is a world of hip pocket pain for Queensland households and businesses.
“Queenslanders didn’t vote for these kinds of price hikes at the election in January.”
The Southern Free Times contacted the State Government about the changes but did not receive a reply by the time of going to press.
