Call to waive ambo charge

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 Queensland Government’s ambulance 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,” he said.

“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.”

Defence officials have sought to resolve the matter with the Queensland Government since last October.
Mr Brough has written to Premier Peter Beattie seeking the exemption and reversion to the former arrangements under which the Commonwealth paid for the actual costs of ambulance usage by Defence personnel as part of their medical coverage.

“I have suggested a more appropriate alternative arrangement that includes a fee-for-service or a reasonable annual premium that reflects the actual risks and costs of ambulance usage by service personnel,” he said.

“This system would mean soldiers, sailors and airmen posted to Queensland would continue to enjoy their service entitlement to free medical coverage, but without a financial impost on the people of Queensland.”

The Queensland Treasury had rejected Defence’s proposal, saying it would change the nature of the levy and its administrative arrangements. In a letter to Defence, the Treasury said the Defence proposal “will significantly reduce revenue collected from the levy”.

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