Page 1110 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 2012
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The amendment is also in keeping with the commissioner’s existing statutory functions that are already established in the act; that is, giving the emergency services a strong, cohesive, strategic and operational direction, ensuring delivery of high quality and effective service to the community by each of the emergency services, and improving the operational effectiveness and flexibility of the emergency services.
The new power clarifies the ability for the commissioner to achieve these functions, particularly in an emergency context where the need for immediate and unambiguous decision making is required. An example of where this could be required is a bushfire impacting upon both the urban and rural areas of the territory. In these circumstances it is critical that a single point of control is established and maintained, a key point identified in previous reports into bushfires.
With this amendment there is no ambiguity in the role of the commissioner to nominate a single point of control to ensure the effective and efficient coordination of resources if this has not otherwise been agreed between the respective chief officers.
Likewise, Mr Speaker, if an incident occurred that required the provision of supporting agencies or services to assist in responding to an incident—for example, through the provision of public information—the commissioner may direct a chief officer to establish arrangements for the provision of this support.
Importantly, the bill establishes that this authority will only apply to emergencies as defined in the act—that is, actual or imminent events that require a significant and coordinated response—where the scale and complexity of the emergency is or is likely to be significant and may exceed the traditional scope of one or more emergency service.
In addition, the giving of a direction by the commissioner recognises the powers of the chief officers that already exist under the act and does not conflict with these existing powers. The bill does not allow the commissioner to require a chief officer to undertake an operation in a particular way. As such, it remains with the chief officer or his or her delegate to direct resources and capability to respond to the emergency.
The bill I am introducing today addresses the identified benefits of centralised coordination of emergency services and bolsters the ACT’s enhanced operability of resources to provide the Canberra community with a strengthened and effective multi-agency response to future emergency events.
Again, I would like to thank members for their support of the bill and I would also like to express my thanks to the officers of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate and the commissioner and chief officers of the ESA for their advice and assistance in bringing these amendments to a satisfactory conclusion.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
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