Age Concern New Zealand welcomed the opportunity to submit comments on the Fire and Emergency Levy 2026-2029 consultation.
Age Concern New Zealand supports a fair and equitable levy system. We understand that
the Fire and Emergency levy must be stable, universal, equitable, predictable, and flexible. However, it is our view that the preferred
proposed levy increases will disproportionately impact older New Zealanders.
Key Recommendations
- Age Concern opposes a flat levy rate for each insured motor vehicle as this will
increase direct costs per year on older people who own a car and disproportionately
affect those on fixed incomes, or those who have only held 3rd party insurance. This
change could also flow onto increased costs for those who access car services such
as Driving Miss Daisy, which is a companion driving service for older people.
- Instead, Age Concern recommends imposing a more progressive levy, similar to the
current system where commercial vehicles are levied at a higher rate.
- Age Concern supports the preferred option on personal property insurance which
entails no increase. This is because any increase in levy payments on personal
contents insurance would affect older renters in New Zealand.
- By increasing the levy on residential and non-residential property, much of the new
extra burden could be removed from individuals on fixed incomes. Age Concern
notes that on page 37 of the consultation document, non-residential vegetation and
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structural residential and non-residential fire response costs far exceed the projected
vehicle response costs. The levy should reflect the costs of these projected fire
responses.