❓ A parliamentary question regarding the potential transfer of bush fire brigade management from local government to FESA, raising concerns about rationalisation and funding. The Minister's response indicates that any transfer would require local government agreement and that brigade closures are a matter for local government.
AnsweredQoN 748Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to plans by the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of WA to take over management of the number of bush fire brigades in country Western Australia that are currently under the control of local government. Given the high level of concern with this proposal, which I understand has been presented to the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into fire and emergency services legislation, I ask - (1) Does the minister support FESA’s plan to transfer responsibility for managing the number of bush fire brigades from local government to FESA? (2) Does the minister concede that should FESA’s plan succeed, it would result in a reduction in the number of bush fire brigades across the state and be a serious impediment in our capacity to manage bushfire risk? (3) Will the minister guarantee that there will be no rationalisation of country bush fire brigades and that all existing services will continue to be funded under the emergency services levy? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS
AnswerView source ↗
(1) The recommendations offered by FESA at the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into the management of bush fire brigades clearly state that any transfer of responsibility for the management of bush fire brigades to FESA will be progressed only with the agreement of the respective local government. (2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(1) Does the minister support FESA’s plan to transfer responsibility for managing the number of bush fire brigades from local government to FESA? (2) Does the minister concede that should FESA’s plan succeed, it would result in a reduction in the number of bush fire brigades across the state and be a serious impediment in our capacity to manage bushfire risk? (3) Will the minister guarantee that there will be no rationalisation of country bush fire brigades and that all existing services will continue to be funded under the emergency services levy? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) The recommendations offered by FESA at the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into the management of bush fire brigades clearly state that any transfer of responsibility for the management of bush fire brigades to FESA will be progressed only with the agreement of the respective local government. (2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(2) Does the minister concede that should FESA’s plan succeed, it would result in a reduction in the number of bush fire brigades across the state and be a serious impediment in our capacity to manage bushfire risk? (3) Will the minister guarantee that there will be no rationalisation of country bush fire brigades and that all existing services will continue to be funded under the emergency services levy? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) The recommendations offered by FESA at the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into the management of bush fire brigades clearly state that any transfer of responsibility for the management of bush fire brigades to FESA will be progressed only with the agreement of the respective local government. (2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(3) Will the minister guarantee that there will be no rationalisation of country bush fire brigades and that all existing services will continue to be funded under the emergency services levy? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) The recommendations offered by FESA at the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into the management of bush fire brigades clearly state that any transfer of responsibility for the management of bush fire brigades to FESA will be progressed only with the agreement of the respective local government. (2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) The recommendations offered by FESA at the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into the management of bush fire brigades clearly state that any transfer of responsibility for the management of bush fire brigades to FESA will be progressed only with the agreement of the respective local government. (2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(1) The recommendations offered by FESA at the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into the management of bush fire brigades clearly state that any transfer of responsibility for the management of bush fire brigades to FESA will be progressed only with the agreement of the respective local government. (2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(1) Does the minister support FESA’s plan to transfer responsibility for managing the number of bush fire brigades from local government to FESA? (2) Does the minister concede that should FESA’s plan succeed, it would result in a reduction in the number of bush fire brigades across the state and be a serious impediment in our capacity to manage bushfire risk? (3) Will the minister guarantee that there will be no rationalisation of country bush fire brigades and that all existing services will continue to be funded under the emergency services levy? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) The recommendations offered by FESA at the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into the management of bush fire brigades clearly state that any transfer of responsibility for the management of bush fire brigades to FESA will be progressed only with the agreement of the respective local government. (2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(2) Does the minister concede that should FESA’s plan succeed, it would result in a reduction in the number of bush fire brigades across the state and be a serious impediment in our capacity to manage bushfire risk? (3) Will the minister guarantee that there will be no rationalisation of country bush fire brigades and that all existing services will continue to be funded under the emergency services levy? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) The recommendations offered by FESA at the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into the management of bush fire brigades clearly state that any transfer of responsibility for the management of bush fire brigades to FESA will be progressed only with the agreement of the respective local government. (2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(3) Will the minister guarantee that there will be no rationalisation of country bush fire brigades and that all existing services will continue to be funded under the emergency services levy? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) The recommendations offered by FESA at the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into the management of bush fire brigades clearly state that any transfer of responsibility for the management of bush fire brigades to FESA will be progressed only with the agreement of the respective local government. (2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) The recommendations offered by FESA at the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into the management of bush fire brigades clearly state that any transfer of responsibility for the management of bush fire brigades to FESA will be progressed only with the agreement of the respective local government. (2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(1) The recommendations offered by FESA at the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee inquiry into the management of bush fire brigades clearly state that any transfer of responsibility for the management of bush fire brigades to FESA will be progressed only with the agreement of the respective local government. (2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(2) No. (3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
(3) As stated by FESA at the standing committee hearing, any closure of bush fire brigades is a matter for local government. FESA does, however, need to be involved in the approval process to establish new brigades due to the cost implications and the impact on the emergency services levy of funding any new services.
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