18 March 2026
The Greens are calling on the Government to waive the Emergency Service Levy for approximately 15,000 emergency services volunteers.
Key Facts:
- The Treasurer is seeking to raise $347.6 million in 2025-26 through the Emergency Services Levy.
- In 2025-26, metropolitan property owners are set to pay $164.55. This is an increase of $6.70 from 2024-25.
- The new rate for regional property owners will be around $99. This is an increase of $3.25 from 2024-25.
- There are approximately 15,000 volunteers in the emergency services sector from the Country Fire Service (CFS), State Emergency Service (SES) and the Volunteer Marine Rescue SA (VMR).
- The cost of waiving their fee would be up to $1.9 million per year
- The Emergency Services Levy is held in the Community Emergency Services Fund, which had a carry-over of $3.5 million from 2024-25 to 2025-26.
Quotes Attributable to Robert Simms MLC
“Our state’s emergency services are supported by about 15,000 volunteers who play an integral role in keeping our community safe. They are the responders when our state suffers through fires, floods, and storms”.
“The Greens want to recognise our emergency service volunteers and the countless hours they give back to their communities by waiving their emergency services levy.”
Quotes attributable to Genevieve Dawson-Scott, Greens candidate for Heysen
“Living in the Adelaide Hills we know it’s not a matter of ‘if’ we have an emergency but ‘when.’ Resilience is the key word for Heysen and we are indebted to the incredible volunteers of the CFS for the essential role they play in keeping our region safe. The support the Greens are proposing is the least we can do.”