Page 3691 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 21 November 2006
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Mr Pratt: On the point of order, Mr Speaker—
Mr Hargreaves: Give us the reason for the suspension.
Mr Pratt: Mr Smyth is outlining the urgency of the situation and the need to reconsider the legislation today.
MR SPEAKER: I can see the connection.
MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I know government members do not want to hear it, but the point is that this matter is urgent. We all know—and I am sure Ms Porter will jump to her feet in support of volunteers—that it is harder and harder to get and keep volunteers. We were given the example of southern, which put forward 25 volunteers but got only one through the system for the fire season. If that is happening to southern brigade, we have got a problem. Under standing order 137, we want to look at this issue again.
This issue needs to be looked at again because the minister said last week that he would fix it. The Volunteer Brigades Association, in a letter to all 17 members today, said that the minister is not fixing it. They thanked him for his officials’ efforts, that is true, but the solution provided is unacceptable to them. We now have to choose. We can choose either to reject the volunteers and say, “Our way or the highway; we do not care what you want,” or we can do the reasonable thing, which is to suspend the standing orders and allow the vote to be recast. All members, if they wish, can join in the debate and we can look at the issue again.
The minister’s solution has failed. It has created a situation of distrust among the brigades. The letter mentions distrust; they no longer trust the solution that the minister is putting forward. Does the Chief Minister want to leave in place a minister who does not have the trust of the volunteers of the SES and the rural fire service?
The ACT is coming into a very, very dangerous season. We have a total fire ban today. We have high winds, high temperatures and high fuel loads. It is a recipe for disaster. If the minister’s decisions are affecting the chain of command and belief in the chain of command, and if the minister’s decisions are stopping the volunteers doing their jobs properly and protecting the city to the fullest of their capability we need to resolve this today. There could be a solution on the table today. If we were to deal with the matter under standing order 137, we could reach a solution that would be acceptable to the volunteers. It should be acceptable to the Assembly.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for Planning) (3.11): Mr Speaker, the government will not be supporting the suspension of standing orders today. The reason is that this is a difficult negotiation, but it cannot be a one-sided one. The government’s concerns must also be acknowledged as legitimate. It is not just the volunteers’ concerns that are legitimate; the government’s concerns are also legitimate. The government has a responsibility on behalf of the taxpayer to ensure that funds are managed in accordance with the law. That is the obligation and responsibility that we have also.
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