Page 2313 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 12 August 2014
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The government also is making a significant investment in terms of communications capability with upgrades to a range of communications technologies in relation to the TRN, the trunked radio network. This is a very important investment to maintain capability in the core of the emergency services communications with units in the field and with other entities and agencies. TRN is a critical capability, one the government is determined to ensure stays up to date, reliable and in place to deliver the operability we need. These investments will assist us with that.
The government, of course, also is having to make provision for a reduction in funding associated with payments from the commonwealth for fire services to commonwealth buildings and institutions. It is regrettable we have to do that but we are left with no choice, given the arbitrary decision of this government and the previous commonwealth government, both of whom have confirmed their position that they will be reducing that fire services payment.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Minister, how does the commitment in this year’s budget to a new combined ambulance and fire station at Aranda improve community safety?
MR CORBELL: I thank Ms Berry for the supplementary. The new combined fire and rescue station at Aranda is very much about maintaining response times for the community. At the moment fire and rescue services for the eastern end of Belconnen are located in the Belconnen town centre. What we know from our assessment of the future demands and needs, and maintenance of response times for fire and ambulance services, is that we need to get those services out of the town centre, which is increasingly congested and not suitable for rapid response and dispatch of fire and emergency services through the heart of the town centre, which is currently where those stations are located.
The new station at Aranda will position our fire and rescue and ambulance capabilities in a highly convenient and central location, close to major trunk roads, to facilitate quick dispatch by our emergency services. That will undoubtedly maintain and help improve overall community safety, particularly as there continues to be intensification of development in the Belconnen town centre.
Combined with this Labor government’s commitments delivered for the new west Belconnen fire and ambulance facility, it means we are positioning ourselves well, through this first stage of the station relocation and upgrade program, to make sure that our fire, rescue and other emergency services are based where they need to be based, to maintain and where necessary improve response times in requests for emergency assistance across the city.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
DR BOURKE: Minister, how is the government improving the territory’s emergency radio and dispatch systems?
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