A parliamentary question on notice regarding the Minister for Emergency Services' response to the Roleystone-Kelmscott bushfires, specifically seeking details on when he was informed and what actions he took. The Minister's response lacks specific details on timing.

AnsweredQoN 507Legislative Assembly
Asked
30 August 2011
Portfolio
Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

ROLEYSTONE–KELMSCOTT BUSHFIRES — MINISTER FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES
(1) At what time on the day did the minister first learn about the Roleystone–Kelmscott fire, and what action did he take upon being informed? (2) What discussions did the minister have with FESA on the day and when did he have them? (3) What conversations did the minister have with the Commissioner of Police on the day and when did he have them? Mr R.F. JOHNSON

AnswerView source ↗

(1)–(3) I cannot honestly remember the exact times during the day—I did not keep a record of them—but I was regularly informed of the ongoing situation. Mr E.S. Ripper : In the morning, in the afternoon, at two o’clock or at three o’clock? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I was informed about the Red Hill fire in the morning; okay. The Leader of the Opposition did not ask that question, but that is the answer. In relation to the Roleystone–Kelmscott fire, I got information about that in the reasonably early afternoon, after the fire had started, obviously. I think I had a conversation with the chief executive officer prior to any homes actually being destroyed. I asked my staff to keep in touch with staff at FESA so that they could be abreast of what was going on and to keep me informed regularly throughout the day. I think I had another conversation with the CEO. Once some homes had been destroyed, she informed me of that, and, as I say, my staff were kept informed all the time. Following that, the last conversation I had with the CEO of FESA was, I think, around 4.30 or 4.45 pm to tell me that she had spoken with the police commissioner and that the state emergency management group was being convened at 6.30 that evening.
(2) What discussions did the minister have with FESA on the day and when did he have them? (3) What conversations did the minister have with the Commissioner of Police on the day and when did he have them? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: (1)–(3) I cannot honestly remember the exact times during the day—I did not keep a record of them—but I was regularly informed of the ongoing situation. Mr E.S. Ripper : In the morning, in the afternoon, at two o’clock or at three o’clock? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I was informed about the Red Hill fire in the morning; okay. The Leader of the Opposition did not ask that question, but that is the answer. In relation to the Roleystone–Kelmscott fire, I got information about that in the reasonably early afternoon, after the fire had started, obviously. I think I had a conversation with the chief executive officer prior to any homes actually being destroyed. I asked my staff to keep in touch with staff at FESA so that they could be abreast of what was going on and to keep me informed regularly throughout the day. I think I had another conversation with the CEO. Once some homes had been destroyed, she informed me of that, and, as I say, my staff were kept informed all the time. Following that, the last conversation I had with the CEO of FESA was, I think, around 4.30 or 4.45 pm to tell me that she had spoken with the police commissioner and that the state emergency management group was being convened at 6.30 that evening.
(3) What conversations did the minister have with the Commissioner of Police on the day and when did he have them? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: (1)–(3) I cannot honestly remember the exact times during the day—I did not keep a record of them—but I was regularly informed of the ongoing situation. Mr E.S. Ripper : In the morning, in the afternoon, at two o’clock or at three o’clock? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I was informed about the Red Hill fire in the morning; okay. The Leader of the Opposition did not ask that question, but that is the answer. In relation to the Roleystone–Kelmscott fire, I got information about that in the reasonably early afternoon, after the fire had started, obviously. I think I had a conversation with the chief executive officer prior to any homes actually being destroyed. I asked my staff to keep in touch with staff at FESA so that they could be abreast of what was going on and to keep me informed regularly throughout the day. I think I had another conversation with the CEO. Once some homes had been destroyed, she informed me of that, and, as I say, my staff were kept informed all the time. Following that, the last conversation I had with the CEO of FESA was, I think, around 4.30 or 4.45 pm to tell me that she had spoken with the police commissioner and that the state emergency management group was being convened at 6.30 that evening.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: (1)–(3) I cannot honestly remember the exact times during the day—I did not keep a record of them—but I was regularly informed of the ongoing situation. Mr E.S. Ripper : In the morning, in the afternoon, at two o’clock or at three o’clock? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I was informed about the Red Hill fire in the morning; okay. The Leader of the Opposition did not ask that question, but that is the answer. In relation to the Roleystone–Kelmscott fire, I got information about that in the reasonably early afternoon, after the fire had started, obviously. I think I had a conversation with the chief executive officer prior to any homes actually being destroyed. I asked my staff to keep in touch with staff at FESA so that they could be abreast of what was going on and to keep me informed regularly throughout the day. I think I had another conversation with the CEO. Once some homes had been destroyed, she informed me of that, and, as I say, my staff were kept informed all the time. Following that, the last conversation I had with the CEO of FESA was, I think, around 4.30 or 4.45 pm to tell me that she had spoken with the police commissioner and that the state emergency management group was being convened at 6.30 that evening.
(1)–(3) I cannot honestly remember the exact times during the day—I did not keep a record of them—but I was regularly informed of the ongoing situation. Mr E.S. Ripper : In the morning, in the afternoon, at two o’clock or at three o’clock? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I was informed about the Red Hill fire in the morning; okay. The Leader of the Opposition did not ask that question, but that is the answer. In relation to the Roleystone–Kelmscott fire, I got information about that in the reasonably early afternoon, after the fire had started, obviously. I think I had a conversation with the chief executive officer prior to any homes actually being destroyed. I asked my staff to keep in touch with staff at FESA so that they could be abreast of what was going on and to keep me informed regularly throughout the day. I think I had another conversation with the CEO. Once some homes had been destroyed, she informed me of that, and, as I say, my staff were kept informed all the time. Following that, the last conversation I had with the CEO of FESA was, I think, around 4.30 or 4.45 pm to tell me that she had spoken with the police commissioner and that the state emergency management group was being convened at 6.30 that evening.
Mr E.S. Ripper : In the morning, in the afternoon, at two o’clock or at three o’clock? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I was informed about the Red Hill fire in the morning; okay. The Leader of the Opposition did not ask that question, but that is the answer. In relation to the Roleystone–Kelmscott fire, I got information about that in the reasonably early afternoon, after the fire had started, obviously. I think I had a conversation with the chief executive officer prior to any homes actually being destroyed. I asked my staff to keep in touch with staff at FESA so that they could be abreast of what was going on and to keep me informed regularly throughout the day. I think I had another conversation with the CEO. Once some homes had been destroyed, she informed me of that, and, as I say, my staff were kept informed all the time. Following that, the last conversation I had with the CEO of FESA was, I think, around 4.30 or 4.45 pm to tell me that she had spoken with the police commissioner and that the state emergency management group was being convened at 6.30 that evening.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I was informed about the Red Hill fire in the morning; okay. The Leader of the Opposition did not ask that question, but that is the answer. In relation to the Roleystone–Kelmscott fire, I got information about that in the reasonably early afternoon, after the fire had started, obviously. I think I had a conversation with the chief executive officer prior to any homes actually being destroyed. I asked my staff to keep in touch with staff at FESA so that they could be abreast of what was going on and to keep me informed regularly throughout the day. I think I had another conversation with the CEO. Once some homes had been destroyed, she informed me of that, and, as I say, my staff were kept informed all the time. Following that, the last conversation I had with the CEO of FESA was, I think, around 4.30 or 4.45 pm to tell me that she had spoken with the police commissioner and that the state emergency management group was being convened at 6.30 that evening.
Following that, the last conversation I had with the CEO of FESA was, I think, around 4.30 or 4.45 pm to tell me that she had spoken with the police commissioner and that the state emergency management group was being convened at 6.30 that evening.

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