❓ Opposition questions the delay in announcing the location of the Bushfire Centre of Excellence, alleging it compromises emergency response. The Minister refutes this, calling it politicisation and stating the decision requires robust processes.
AnsweredQoN 33Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
BUSHFIRE CENTRE OF
EXCELLENCE — LOCATION
33. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the
Minister for Emergency Services:
I
refer to the minister's now 10-month old announcement from April 2018
for the establishment of ''a Bushfire Centre of Excellence that
will ensure WA has the best access to fire knowledge, training, technical
expertise and research''.
(1) With 10
months having passed since the minister's announcement, does the
minister agree with these statements from Commissioner Klemm on ABC radio on 30
January 2019, and I quote —
The south west of the state is
halfway through the bushfire season; it is critical that DFES can hit fires
hard and early to get them under control as soon as possible.
(2) If yes to
(1), why has the minister allowed his indecision to compromise the ability of
the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and volunteers to hit fires hard
in the south west, great southern and the state of Western Australia as a whole?
(3) With only two
weeks of summer left, and with the December issue of the Rural Fire Division newsletter
stating that a ''selection panel has reviewed and submitted shortlisted
local governments to Government for final determination'', I again ask
the minister: when will he announce the location of the Bushfire Centre of
Excellence?
EXCELLENCE — LOCATION
33. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the
Minister for Emergency Services:
I
refer to the minister's now 10-month old announcement from April 2018
for the establishment of ''a Bushfire Centre of Excellence that
will ensure WA has the best access to fire knowledge, training, technical
expertise and research''.
(1) With 10
months having passed since the minister's announcement, does the
minister agree with these statements from Commissioner Klemm on ABC radio on 30
January 2019, and I quote —
The south west of the state is
halfway through the bushfire season; it is critical that DFES can hit fires
hard and early to get them under control as soon as possible.
(2) If yes to
(1), why has the minister allowed his indecision to compromise the ability of
the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and volunteers to hit fires hard
in the south west, great southern and the state of Western Australia as a whole?
(3) With only two
weeks of summer left, and with the December issue of the Rural Fire Division newsletter
stating that a ''selection panel has reviewed and submitted shortlisted
local governments to Government for final determination'', I again ask
the minister: when will he announce the location of the Bushfire Centre of
Excellence?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) The premise
of this question is false and misleading, and the minister is extremely
disappointed that the member would attempt to politicise emergency response in
this manner.
(3) The McGowan
government's Bushfire Centre of Excellence is a high-profile,
transformative project for Western Australia. Significant interest has been
expressed by local governments to host the Bushfire Centre of Excellence hub
facility. The hub will be a focal point for all stakeholders, leading
collaboration and innovation in rural fire management. Given the significance
of the Bushfire Centre of Excellence to all Western Australians, it is
essential that government decision-making processes relating to the location of
the hub facility are robust. The government will announce the location of the
Bushfire Centre of Excellence hub facility in due course.
some notice of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) The premise
of this question is false and misleading, and the minister is extremely
disappointed that the member would attempt to politicise emergency response in
this manner.
(3) The McGowan
government's Bushfire Centre of Excellence is a high-profile,
transformative project for Western Australia. Significant interest has been
expressed by local governments to host the Bushfire Centre of Excellence hub
facility. The hub will be a focal point for all stakeholders, leading
collaboration and innovation in rural fire management. Given the significance
of the Bushfire Centre of Excellence to all Western Australians, it is
essential that government decision-making processes relating to the location of
the hub facility are robust. The government will announce the location of the
Bushfire Centre of Excellence hub facility in due course.
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