❓ Hon Adele Farina questions the Minister for Emergency Services regarding DFES's inquiry into local governments potentially transferring bush fire brigade control to DFES, focusing on rationale, budgetary implications, and resourcing for councils retaining brigades. The Minister confirms the inquiry is part of a broader review and aims to assess potential impacts.
AnsweredQoN 298Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
BUSH FIRE
BRIGADES — LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY
298. Hon ADELE FARINA to the
Attorney General representing the Minister for Emergency Services:
(1) Can the
Minister for Emergency Services confirm that the Department of Fire and
Emergency Services has written to local governments requesting an indication of
whether the local authority would be prepared to divest itself of the
responsibility of maintaining a bush fire brigade, transferring the brigade to
the oversight and control of DFES; and, if so, what is the rationale for doing
this?
(2) Are there any budgetary implications in such a transfer
of responsibility; and, if so what?
(3) Under this
plan, what will happen to resourcing those local governments that want to
retain their bush fire brigades?
BRIGADES — LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY
298. Hon ADELE FARINA to the
Attorney General representing the Minister for Emergency Services:
(1) Can the
Minister for Emergency Services confirm that the Department of Fire and
Emergency Services has written to local governments requesting an indication of
whether the local authority would be prepared to divest itself of the
responsibility of maintaining a bush fire brigade, transferring the brigade to
the oversight and control of DFES; and, if so, what is the rationale for doing
this?
(2) Are there any budgetary implications in such a transfer
of responsibility; and, if so what?
(3) Under this
plan, what will happen to resourcing those local governments that want to
retain their bush fire brigades?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) As part of
the review into the emergency services acts, the Department of Fire and
Emergency Services sent a letter dated 23 May 2013 to all local government
chief executive officers in regard to the control and administration of local
bush fire brigades. Local government currently has responsibility for both the
control and administration of local bush fire brigades under the Bush Fires Act
1954. An option that was raised in submissions, discussions and previous
reviews is to provide a legislative mechanism by which local government, in
agreement with DFES, could transfer the control and administration of local
bush fire brigades back to DFES. This option was specifically raised in 2006 in
recommendations 55, 56 and 58 of the Community Development and Justice Standing
Committee ''Inquiry into Fire and Emergency Services Legislation''.
This option does not mandate the transfer of control; it only provides an
option to do so by mutual agreement between DFES and the local government. The
review into the emergency services acts is subject to the regulatory
gatekeeping unit regulatory impact assessment process, as it was deemed that
the project had potentially significant impacts on communities and the state.
As part of the RIA process, DFES is required to assess the costs and benefits
of potentially viable options using quantitative information where possible.
This was the rationale for seeking further information from local governments
to better understand the quantity and location of brigades whose control and administration
could possibly be transferred to DFES if such an option were to exist.
(2) The
purpose of the regulatory gatekeeping unit process is to identify, amongst
other things, potential budgetary implications to the state. In order to begin
formulating what the implications of this option may be, it is essential to
first understand both the location and quantity of brigades that may come under
this arrangement.
(3) It is not
possible to comment on resourcing arrangements whilst the option is still in the
early stages of consideration.
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) As part of
the review into the emergency services acts, the Department of Fire and
Emergency Services sent a letter dated 23 May 2013 to all local government
chief executive officers in regard to the control and administration of local
bush fire brigades. Local government currently has responsibility for both the
control and administration of local bush fire brigades under the Bush Fires Act
1954. An option that was raised in submissions, discussions and previous
reviews is to provide a legislative mechanism by which local government, in
agreement with DFES, could transfer the control and administration of local
bush fire brigades back to DFES. This option was specifically raised in 2006 in
recommendations 55, 56 and 58 of the Community Development and Justice Standing
Committee ''Inquiry into Fire and Emergency Services Legislation''.
This option does not mandate the transfer of control; it only provides an
option to do so by mutual agreement between DFES and the local government. The
review into the emergency services acts is subject to the regulatory
gatekeeping unit regulatory impact assessment process, as it was deemed that
the project had potentially significant impacts on communities and the state.
As part of the RIA process, DFES is required to assess the costs and benefits
of potentially viable options using quantitative information where possible.
This was the rationale for seeking further information from local governments
to better understand the quantity and location of brigades whose control and administration
could possibly be transferred to DFES if such an option were to exist.
(2) The
purpose of the regulatory gatekeeping unit process is to identify, amongst
other things, potential budgetary implications to the state. In order to begin
formulating what the implications of this option may be, it is essential to
first understand both the location and quantity of brigades that may come under
this arrangement.
(3) It is not
possible to comment on resourcing arrangements whilst the option is still in the
early stages of consideration.
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