A coalition of business, consumer, community and industry organisations including insurers and brokers has called on all parties in the NSW parliament to commit before the next election to scrapping the emergency services levy.

The group includes the Insurance Council of Australia, Strata Community Association NSW, the Financial Rights Legal Centre, NSW Council of Social Service, the Committee for Sydney and the National Insurance Brokers Association.

They are calling for a bipartisan commitment to replace the levy in the next term of parliament, with the state due to go to the polls on March 13.

The NSW Select Committee on Emergency Services Funding Reform, which has published 87 submissions on options for a new model, has scheduled hearings for September 8 and 9 and will report in November.

“More than 2 million households could be better off under a fairer system – every party now has the opportunity to commit to reform before the election,” ICA CEO Andrew Hall said today.

Commitments should include an implementation timetable and protections for pensioners, low-income earners, renters, farmers and small businesses, the grouping says.

ICA has launched a “Why are we waiting?” campaign, with advertising to appear on catch-up TV, social media, billboards, print and radio.

A website including the advertisement allows people to email local representatives and key politicians pressing them to support the select committee’s work and back reforms.

The “Why are we waiting?” jingle highlights that other states have stopped funding emergency services through an insurance levy, but lack of action in NSW means it adds up to 34% to bills.

“Our campaign calls on political leaders from all sides including the Labor government, Coalition, Greens and crossbench MPs to work together to solve this for the people of NSW,” the website says.

Committee for Sydney CEO Eamon Waterford says households must be able to insure against escalating natural hazards, with 12 disasters declared in the area over the past five years.

“These reforms will reduce the cost of insurance for most insured households across Greater Sydney, creating a long-overdue economic dividend, and making the funding of emergency services more sustainable as climate-driven costs continue to grow,” he said.

NSW Council of Social Service CEO Cara Varian says high-risk areas are often where housing is cheaper, and low-income households end up paying the most for a system they can least afford.

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From the latest Insurance News magazine: Could NSW's latest bid to reform the emergency services levy go down in flames?

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