These two tables from the Commonwealth Grants Commission (CGC) show just how badly the Carr Government has failed in the area of emergency services. Table 1 shows actual per capita expenditure on public safety and emergency services (incl. expenditure on emergency services, fire protection, natural disasters, control of explosives, netting & meshing and beach protection).It can be seen that NSW has the second lowest level of per capita funding (and less than in 97-98!).
1. Per capita expenditure on public safety and emergency services ($ per capita):
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
NSW
40.49
42.81
45.74
42.92
42.97
VIC
37.16
38.91
40.62
58.13
63.29
QLD
39.46
32.73
54.03
74.23
80.5
WA
40.89
45.17
50.66
41.56
42.62
SA
39.12
41.09
85.80
89.14
97.80
TAS
52.30
55.06
56.42
55.25
57.01
ACT
28.15
23.45
23.29
50.37
55.17
NT
90.15
106.87
114.08
150.55
163.59
The 2nd table below is more sophisticated, evening up the comparisons by adjusting for factors beyond the control of State governments (also known as “disabilities”). The CGC’s weighting of these “disabilities” is explained at http://evatt.labor.net.au/archives/methodology.html
Table 2 shows that NSW has the lowest real level of investment in emergency services of any of the States or Territories of. Worse still, members will note that with the exception of the ACT in 96/97 and 97/98, NSW has actually had the lowest level of investment in this area for the last four years! This explains why NSW — and the Carr Labor Government – has been rated last in this category in the Evatt Foundation’s annual State of the States report for four straight years ( for more info on this see http://evatt.labor.net.au/news/3.html ).
Level of service provision for public safety and emergency services taking into account different circumstances beyond the control of the different States:
(100.00 = average level of provision)
NSW
VIC
QLD
WA
SA
TAS
ACT
NT
1999-00
61.92
106.66
159.25
66.07
203.61
94.18
93.75
185.30
1998-99
67.61
103.94
141.66
74.28
184.71
93.77
89.72
192.22
1997-98
78.45
84.53
130.50
105.67
212.44
118.09
46.55
111.39
1996-97
91.85
97.40
93.20
112.49
127.97
152.97
57.96
214.51
1995-96
96.93
86.71
118.64
97.33
116.35
154.68
60.27
132.87
Source for Tables: Commonwealth Grants Commission, State Revenue Sharing Relativities, 2001 Update, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 2001, pp. 204, 271
The homeless victims who were visited by Bob Carr in the aftermath of the bushfires obviously needed more from their Premier than just a carton of beer.
