WHITTLESEA firefighters have welcomed a decision to create a “fairer” Fire Services Levy.

The State Government announced it would replace the present model with a progressive property-based levy in line with recommendations from the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission.

Whittlesea CFA captain Ken Williamson said the decision was “positive news for everyone.”

“As a farmer as well, I wanted it more equitable,” Mr Williamson said.

“(The new system) is fair and equitable for everyone.”

Fire services are presently funded through a combination of direct contributions from State Government and councils and a levy on insurance premiums.

But Mr Williamson said the levy had been unfair on homeowners and businesses who chose to insure.

He said they were paying the fire services contribution of those that did not insure or were under insured.

The Government’s new levy will resolve this issue by changing to a progressive-property levy, which will also include a 50 per cent concession for low-income earners. The new levy will provide the same level of funding to fire services as the old levy, without collecting extra revenue.

Mr Williamson said reforming the fire services levy was another finding of the Royal Commission, which had been well received in the community.

“I know the Government said they’ll do 66 of the 67 recommendations,” Mr Williamson said.

“But I think everyone’s waiting to see how they’ll be implemented. There’s a lot of work to do in the next three months.”

The Government is in consultation for the new levy model and expects to release a White Paper on it in February.