Page 383 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 2 March 1994
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A new director, on secondment, was appointed to implement the structure and review counterdisaster planning and recovery. The director produced a blueprint for change through the development of a three-year plan. The plan has been widely supported because it was developed in consultation with all of the stakeholders and was based on ensuring that operational integrity was maintained. The plan not only identified areas of major change and development in the management and operation of the services, but also provided a logical savings program in line with Government budget requirements and a broader vision of integrating response to the hazard being faced.
The three-year plan set the ground for cooperation and commitment, as demonstrated in the task force sent to New South Wales. The development of the all-hazards approach to emergencies is a key factor in ensuring that we can respond to the range of incidents likely to occur. Similar cooperation has been demonstrated in local incidents, such as that at the Jolimont Centre. Subsequent joint debriefings have enabled operatives in each organisation and the senior management of each service to work out together how our already high-quality service and response capability can be improved.
The Assembly's concerns in relation to the future of the emergency services have, in my view, been largely answered in the review conducted by Bruce MacDonald, which was released earlier this year. I understand that the Minister will formally table this report in the Assembly, together with a follow-up report which Mr MacDonald has prepared in the light of recent incidents, including the support to New South Wales. Mr MacDonald said in his first report:
In summary, much has recently been achieved and action is on the right track, but a good deal remains to be done by the management team, if momentum is not to be lost and appropriate achievements are to be made. Despite different cultures, cooperation by all concerned is essential, working together in the interests of protecting and preserving life and property in the ACT community.
Mr MacDonald said in his second report:
In brief the ACT made a timely appropriate and professionally successful response to the national assistance to New South Wales, through task forces uniquely combining resources of its various emergency organisations. This reflected not only the benefits of co-location at Curtin, but also the substantially improved relations and coordination between the various organisations and the courage and competence of participants.
Nevertheless, improvements can be made.
Members will agree that the reports prepared by Mr MacDonald demonstrate a professional and thoughtful approach to his task. He has been thorough and practical, placing current changes in an appropriate context to ensure that improvements continue to be made.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I believe that it is appropriate and timely that we have taken time this morning to place on the public record in this chamber the history of the emergency services group's activities in New South Wales earlier this year. The Government provided a civic reception for those persons involved, but I believe that it is appropriate that the parliament of the Territory, this
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