❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks detailed financial breakdowns of the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) spending, employee benefits, grants, and bushfire mitigation strategy costs. The Minister provides some data and refers to tabled papers for further details, but withholds specific employee information.
AnsweredQoN 2506Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to Budget Paper 2, Volume 2, page 397 – Statement of Cashflows (Controlled), specifically subsection "Cashflows from operating activities", and I ask: (a) will the Minister please provide a detailed breakdown of spending from the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) for: (i) 2017-18; (ii) 2018-19; and (iii) the expected breakdown for 2019-20; (b) will the Minister please provide a detailed breakdown of costs in relation to the line item “Employee Benefits for 2019-20“ including: (i) the position title for each employee; (ii) the pay level for each employee; and (iii) the location from which each employee works; (c) will the Minister please provide a detailed breakdown of costs in relation to the line item “Grants and Subsidies 2019-20”; (d) of the "Grants and Subsidies" funding, why is there a notable decrease across the forward estimates; (e) will the Minister please provide the expected breakdown of costs in relation to the line item “Other Payments” for 2019-20; (f) what is the expected contribution from the ESL to the Bushfire Mitigation Strategy for: (i) 2019-20; and (ii) in total; and (g) for the subheading “Net Cash from operating activities”, will the Minister please explain why there is an expected significant decrease in 2021?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
30 October 2019
Responded by
Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Emergency Services
Response time
10 days
(a) (i) 2017-18 $355.7 million
(ii) 2018-19 $390.6 million
(iii) 2019-20 $407.8 million
For breakdown of ESL [Please see tabled paper no.]
(b) $221,971. The breakdown of these costs are as follows:
2019-20
$’000
District Allowances
547
Fringe Benefits Tax
852
Other Staffing Costs
4,459
Salaries, Wages and Allowances
189,985
Staff Travel
4,279
Superannuation
21,849
Total
221,971
(i) to (iii) [Please see tabled paper no.]
Please note: the breakdown of employee benefits payments by position, pay level and location has not been provided as this includes allowances and overtime of which payment is dependent on operations and incidences that occur in the year. They are estimated in the budget as an aggregate and not against individual positions.
(c) 2019-20 Detailed of Controlled Grants and Subsidies $64.869 million as follows:
2019-20
$'000
All West Australians Reducing Emergencies Program
200
ChemCentre - Emergency Response Services
1,500
Local Government - Community Emergency Service Managers
2,643
Local Government Emergency Services Grants
33,055
Natural Disaster Resilience Program
2,432
Other
2,063
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Centre of Excellence Facility
1,310
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Mitigation Activity Fund DPLH
928
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Mitigation Activity ESL
11,190
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Risk Management Planning
1,388
Shire of Gingin
700
Surf Life Saving Western Australia
1,381
Volunteer Fuel Card
1,070
Marine Rescue Service
5,009
Total
64,869
(d) The decrease does not reflect an actual decrease, but rather a reported decrease in Grants and Subsidies receipts of $4.650 million in 2022-23. This is the result of the funding from the Road Trauma Trust Fund for the South West Emergency Rescue Helicopter Service to be secured beyond 30 June 2021.
(e) Expected breakdown of costs in relation to the line item “Other Payments” for 2019-20 in relation to $37.060 million as follows:
2019-20
$'000
Equipment repairs and maintenance
20,256
Riskcover Premiums
12,768
Administration
2,116
Audit Fees
1,086
Advertising and promotion
593
Non capital assets
146
Other payments
95
Total
37,060
(f) Expected contribution from the ESL to the Bushfire Mitigation Strategy. (i) For 2019-20 $24.082 million comprising:
2019-20
$'000
Office of Bushfire Risk Management
1,218
Land Use Planning Services
579
Bushfire Technical Services
1,008
Bushfire Risk Management Planning
3,108
Bushfire Risk Management Bushfire Mitigation ESL
11,190
Bushfire Centre of Excellence
6,170
Rural Fire Executive
809
Total
24,082
(f) (ii) In total over the budget year and forward estimates period:
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
Total
Office of Bushfire Risk Management
1,218
1,229
1,241
1,253
4,941
Land Use Planning Services
579
583
588
593
2,343
Bushfire Technical Services
1,008
1,012
1,021
1,029
4,070
Bushfire Risk Management Planning
3,108
3,125
3,142
3,158
12,533
Bushfire Risk Management Bushfire Mitigation ESL
11,190
9,660
10,815
10,977
42,642
Bushfire Centre of Excellence
6,170
7,308
4,072
0
17,550
Rural Fire Executive
809
816
824
831
3,280
Total
24,082
23,733
21,703
17,841
87,359
(g) The decrease in the ‘Net Cash from operating activities’ is mainly attributable to:
(ii) 2018-19 $390.6 million
(iii) 2019-20 $407.8 million
For breakdown of ESL [Please see tabled paper no.]
(b) $221,971. The breakdown of these costs are as follows:
2019-20
$’000
District Allowances
547
Fringe Benefits Tax
852
Other Staffing Costs
4,459
Salaries, Wages and Allowances
189,985
Staff Travel
4,279
Superannuation
21,849
Total
221,971
(i) to (iii) [Please see tabled paper no.]
Please note: the breakdown of employee benefits payments by position, pay level and location has not been provided as this includes allowances and overtime of which payment is dependent on operations and incidences that occur in the year. They are estimated in the budget as an aggregate and not against individual positions.
(c) 2019-20 Detailed of Controlled Grants and Subsidies $64.869 million as follows:
2019-20
$'000
All West Australians Reducing Emergencies Program
200
ChemCentre - Emergency Response Services
1,500
Local Government - Community Emergency Service Managers
2,643
Local Government Emergency Services Grants
33,055
Natural Disaster Resilience Program
2,432
Other
2,063
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Centre of Excellence Facility
1,310
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Mitigation Activity Fund DPLH
928
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Mitigation Activity ESL
11,190
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Risk Management Planning
1,388
Shire of Gingin
700
Surf Life Saving Western Australia
1,381
Volunteer Fuel Card
1,070
Marine Rescue Service
5,009
Total
64,869
(d) The decrease does not reflect an actual decrease, but rather a reported decrease in Grants and Subsidies receipts of $4.650 million in 2022-23. This is the result of the funding from the Road Trauma Trust Fund for the South West Emergency Rescue Helicopter Service to be secured beyond 30 June 2021.
(e) Expected breakdown of costs in relation to the line item “Other Payments” for 2019-20 in relation to $37.060 million as follows:
2019-20
$'000
Equipment repairs and maintenance
20,256
Riskcover Premiums
12,768
Administration
2,116
Audit Fees
1,086
Advertising and promotion
593
Non capital assets
146
Other payments
95
Total
37,060
(f) Expected contribution from the ESL to the Bushfire Mitigation Strategy. (i) For 2019-20 $24.082 million comprising:
2019-20
$'000
Office of Bushfire Risk Management
1,218
Land Use Planning Services
579
Bushfire Technical Services
1,008
Bushfire Risk Management Planning
3,108
Bushfire Risk Management Bushfire Mitigation ESL
11,190
Bushfire Centre of Excellence
6,170
Rural Fire Executive
809
Total
24,082
(f) (ii) In total over the budget year and forward estimates period:
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
Total
Office of Bushfire Risk Management
1,218
1,229
1,241
1,253
4,941
Land Use Planning Services
579
583
588
593
2,343
Bushfire Technical Services
1,008
1,012
1,021
1,029
4,070
Bushfire Risk Management Planning
3,108
3,125
3,142
3,158
12,533
Bushfire Risk Management Bushfire Mitigation ESL
11,190
9,660
10,815
10,977
42,642
Bushfire Centre of Excellence
6,170
7,308
4,072
0
17,550
Rural Fire Executive
809
816
824
831
3,280
Total
24,082
23,733
21,703
17,841
87,359
(g) The decrease in the ‘Net Cash from operating activities’ is mainly attributable to:
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