Question regarding the finalisation of interagency arrangements between the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) and the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) for bushfire management. The answer indicates agreements are in place, rendering parts of the question inapplicable.

AnsweredQoN 304Legislative Council
Asked
5 April 2016
Portfolio
Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

DEPARTMENTS OF FIRE AND
EMERGENCY SERVICES AND PARKS AND WILDLIFE —INTERAGENCY ARRANGEMENTS
304. Hon KATE DOUST to the Attorney General
representing the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the attempts to establish formal and comprehensive state-level
interagency arrangements between the Departments of Fire and Emergency Services
and Parks and Wildlife since 2012 and a draft agreement prepared in 2013 but
stalled since that time.
(1) What is the impediment to finalising the agreements?
(2) What has the Minister for Emergency
Services done personally to expedite the finalisation of the interagency
agreement?
(3) Does the minister concede that the
non-existence of such a joint arrangement continues to hamper effective
management of bushfire response?

AnswerView source ↗

On behalf of the Minister for Emergency Services, I thank the honourable
member for some notice of this question. The Department of Fire and Emergency
Services advises —
(1) On 19 September and 25 September 2012, a
three-year heads of agreement was signed by the Department of Parks and
Wildlife and Department of Fire and Emergency Services respectively. In 2015,
the heads of agreement was reviewed by the Interagency Bushfire Management
Committee and re-signed at a signing ceremony on 21 December 2015 attended by
the heads of department and the Minister for Emergency Services. Formal and
comprehensive state-level interagency arrangements between DFES and DPaW are
outlined in ''Westplan—Fire'', approved on 2 September
2013 and valid until 3 September 2018. The Westplan details the
responsibilities of all agencies including the Fire and Emergency Services
Commissioner as the hazard management authority and the Department of Parks and
Wildlife as a responsible agency.
(2)–(3) Not applicable.

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