Just recieved my house insurance renewal notice and just noticed for the first time that included in the total is a government charge levy for fire and emergency services. $120 (up from $70 last year!) and then on top of this stamp duty.
I would've thought that they would've taken the money from our taxes for that sort of thing. Not from people trying to insure their houses. Means those people who don't own/insure don't have to pay for services that they have just as much need/use of? Seems to be penalising house owners trying to do the right thing
Don't even know what the stamp duty is for...
Interested if this is standard across all of Australia or just in Vic?

Where in Vic are you? A bushfire prone area?

Built-up estate in the outer suburbs of melbourne, we are not in a particularly high risk area. (I hope not anyway!)

It wouldn't be a new thing, in fact I believe it is due to be abolished shortly in Vic, in part due yo the reasons you state of penalising the responsible ones. A couple of states still have it, NSW does as well I think.