Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Mal Brough has called
on the Queensland Government to exempt Queensland-based Defence
personnel from the State Government’s ambulance levy.
Mr Brough said Defence personnel should be exempt from the levy
as ambulance cover was included in the conditions of employment
for all Defence personnel.
“Until the introduction of the new tax, the Commonwealth
Government paid the actual cost of ambulance usage by service
personnel, around $150,000 per year, so neither the service people
nor the Queensland taxpayer had to bear the costs of that service.
“As a result, the State Government is making Defence personnel
pay a levy, estimated at almost $817,000 for something they were
already covered for,” he said
Defence has sought to resolve the matter with the Queensland Government
since October 24.
Mr Brough wrote to Premier Beattie early last month seeking the
exemption.
