WE NEED a more equitable way of funding fire services, writes ANDREW BROAD

The Bushfire Royal Commission has delivered what should be the final blow to Victoria's Fire Service Levy.

The Commission's report states: "Fundamentally, the Commission considers that the current funding model lacks transparency and is inequitable."

This is the latest in a long line of reports and inquiries calling for the removal of the outdated Fire Service Levy system.

The Henry Tax Review, the HIH Royal Commission, the 2001 Business Tax Review in Victoria and the 1993 Public Bodies Review all called for the removal of the Fire Service Levy.

If the Government is serious about swift and decisive action, it will commit to a change in the fire-funding model immediately.

The Victorian Government's own Fire Service Levy Green Paper was a thinly veiled attempt to support the current funding system and also put in place a needlessly long evaluation process.

The Royal Commission findings should end the debate about whether the current system should be changed.

In fact the principles of the VFF model have been included in the alternative system flagged by the Commission.

The only question is will the Government have the courage to set this change in motion before the election?