Page 2758 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 12 August 2015

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management; and people and culture, which includes training, workforce planning and volunteer management.

These enabling support areas will be managed by the ESA, which will be utilising the expertise of its current executives. The ESA will continue to consult with staff and volunteers, unions and associations on the changes to the agency. I commend the commissioner and the chief officers for the very open and active consultative process they are undertaking across the services.

As demonstrated by the all-staff letter that I referred to from the four chief officers, I know the ESA executive team are committed to working with the commissioner as a unified executive to plan and implement the ESA’s strategic reform agenda in an open, transparent and consultative way.

Unfortunately, this motion is another attempt from the opposition to take the focus away from all the good things that have been occurring in emergency services in the ACT, and I will mention a few. This year has seen a number of accomplishments for the ESA: the best ambulance code one response times in the country; continued progression of the station upgrade and relocation program with the opening of the south Tuggeranong Fire & Rescue station as well as the commencement of the co-located ambulance and Fire & Rescue in Aranda; successful interstate deployments by SES and Rural Fire Service into New South Wales and Western Australia and, indeed, a crew has recently returned from Canada; a very successful Canberra bushfire ready and doorknock campaign to ensure residents do what they can to reduce their own bushfire risks; and very successful services support for the Asian Cup and world cup cricket events this year.

As Minister for Police and Emergency Services, I know the territory’s emergency services personnel remain vigilant and prepared for the imminent threat of bushfires, storms and major incidents to our community. I have confidence in the ability and leadership of the ESA commissioner and of the chief officers of ACT Fire & Rescue, the ambulance service, rural fire and the SES as well as the other ESA executives that provide such important support and services to this community.

In closing, I move an amendment that has been circulated in my name:

Omit all words after “That this Assembly”, substitute:

“(1) notes:

(a) the commitment of the ACT Government and the Emergency Services Agency (ESA) to continue to deliver nation-leading emergency services to the ACT community;

(b) the significant changes put in place as a result of the recommendations of both the Coronial Inquiry and the Inquiry into the Operational Response to the January 2003 Bushfires in the ACT, including the creation of the ESA led by a commissioner;

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