COUNTRY Victorians are sick to the back teeth of government reviews aimed at avoiding decisions.
No better example exists of this never-ending cycle of reviews than the procrastination on the part of the Victorian Government and Coalition when it comes to an alternative to the controversial fire services levy on property insurance.
Three of the past four reviews into the Victorian and NSW FSLs found they were a grossly unfair means of funding fire services, giving the non-insured and under-insured a free or subsidised ride.
Yet Victorians are once again being asked to support another round of FSL reviews in the lead-up to next year's November election.
Meanwhile, outer Melbourne businesses and farmers are being slugged with a FSL of 84 per cent on their property insurance, plus GST and a 10 per cent Victorian Government stamp duty on the combined amount.
For each $1000 of premium country businesses and farmers pay to their insurers, they must also pay a terrorism tax of $20, the fire services levy of $857, GST of $188 and stamp duty of $206, bringing the total to $2271.
Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia have abandoned the FSL, moving to a levy on all property, including motor vehicles in SA.
These are working examples of alternatives to the Victorian and NSW FSLs.
So why aren't the nation's biggest states following the smaller states' lead?
One reason may be the fear of a political backlash at next year's election.
When the SA Labor Government moved to replace its FSL with an across-the-board property tax, the then Liberal Opposition ran a campaign against it, arguing it was a "new tax".
It's likely tensions already exist between the Victorian Nationals and Liberals on introducing a new property tax on all ratepayers and motor-vehicle owners.
Both the Coalition and Labor know the real election battle in 2010 is not in regional Victoria, but in the mortgage belts surrounding Melbourne.
That's why lobby groups like the Victorian Farmers Federation and business groups must demand the Government and Opposition put their policies on the table before the next election.
