I am very grateful for the opportunity that Pat has made available because it allows me to provide some information I believe will be of interest to you, and to comment on some issues I know have aroused some concern in volunteer ranks as well as the wider community.
To say that this has been a challenging year for the ACT’s emergency services is a major understatement, as you know all too well. However, even as we continue our recovery from the devastation of the January bushfires, we must plan and prepare for the future. With your help, ESB is getting on with the job of responding to incidents and preparation is well underway for the 2003-04 bushfire season.
I am sure you are all aware of at least the general thrust of the Report given to the Government by Mr Ron McLeod into the Operational Response to the January 2003 Bushfires in the ACT, which was released to the public on Monday 21 July last.
Although in some senses his reports was a tough one, Mr McLeod went to great lengths to acknowledge and praise the efforts of staff and volunteers for their dedication and commitment during the fires. Mr McLeod made a total of 61 recommendations to the Government which the Government has now agreed to implement.
One of the most commented on of his recommendations relates to the creation of a new statutory authority to supersede the Emergency Services Bureau. The Government is now moving to establish this new Authority and, as a preliminary step, has commenced a national search to recruit its new CEO. The reason this recruitment process is occurring before the shape of the new Authority is decided is to allow the person who will be responsible for running it to participate in negotiations and consultations with all the people and organisations that have a stake in the outcome. This will benefit the consultation process because when the Commissioner takes over the new Authority, he/she will be able to carry forward the spirit and intent of the various agreements reached through the consultation phase.
I also want to reassure all volunteers involved in providing emergency services to the ACT community that in the development of the new Authority, your interests and concerns are foremost in the Government’s mind. The Government is committed to effective consultation with you as we develop the new body and I have made a specific commitment to your President and other representatives that the VBA will be involved directly in the process.
Members of the VBA are probably aware by now of the new bushfire initiatives arising out of the McLeod Report being funded in the Government’s Second Appropriation Bill which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday 19 August 2003. Some $10.76 million will fund a range of initiatives to boost the capacity and effectiveness of the ACT’s emergency services and a brief summary follows:
In addition, new initiatives are being funded in the Department of Urban Services to increase hazard reduction ($1.68 million), to acquire heavy plant to assist bushfire activities and to the land management agencies to employ bushfire fighters over the summer period.
These initiatives are on top of commitments already made by the Government for a new emergency services headquarters, for the installation of a new computer aided dispatch system and for a new radio communications system for all our emergency services.
The government, with the assistance of the McLeod Report, is determined that the ACT’s emergency services will be the equal of any future challenge it may face and these new budget initiatives are tangible evidence of that determination. Our volunteers are an essential element of those services and, on behalf of the community, I thank you for the many contributions you have already made, and for the many contributions you will make in the future.
John Stanhope