Page 4087 - Week 09 - Thursday, 26 August 2010
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Mr Corbell went on to say:
One of the main problems that emerged once we received the report was the concerns from fire fighters in particular that the analysis used didn’t properly take account of how quickly fire brigades respond to fires.
Later on, Mr Sweeney from the TWU said:
… we should be acting on the report’s recommendation and looking at ambulance stations where they are best placed for the future and now.
Here is Mr Corbell on 31 May saying “Well, I was briefed on the report,” and, “Once we received the report we started working on it.” That is quite different from what Mr Corbell told the estimates hearing on 25 May. I quote:
MR SMYTH: Just further to sheds, if I may, during the inquiry into the Auditor-General’s report on the Ambulance Service, the ambulance officers that appeared identified that there had been a report done on the relocation of—initially we thought it was just ambulance stations, but apparently it is all emergency services facilities. What is the status of that report, minister?
Mr Corbell: That report is subject to cabinet consideration.
MR SMYTH: When did you receive that report?
Mr Corbell: I have not yet received the final copy of that report.
MR SMYTH: You have not received a final copy of the report?
Mr Corbell: No.
Yet on 31 May Mr Corbell has the report before him. He says, “Once we received the report we took it into account.” So there you go. We have got conflicting evidence there. But it is interesting to use that wonderful thing the web—the Assembly Hansard part of the web—and look at a report or a transcript of a conversation Mr Corbell had in the JACS committee back in March 2009. Again I will just read the paragraph:
Mr Corbell: Yes, the future of that site is subject to the ESA station relocation study. It is one of the sites that are in consideration in that study for possible relocation of fire and ambulance services across the territory to provide better response times across the territory, but no decision has been taken in relation to that site at this time. The station relocation study is currently before me for consideration. I will need to make some recommendations to cabinet and then commence a public consultation process in relation to options for the future possible locations of fire and ambulance services.
For those who do not know the chronology, my understanding is that the final copy of the report was finalised in about August 2008. The minister said that he received it late that year or early in 2009. On 12 March 2009, Minister Corbell said:
The station relocation study is currently before me for consideration.
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