Page 2617 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 10 August 2016
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
In relation to bushfire preparedness and capability planning, the ESA has prepared a strategic bushfire capability framework that identifies our bushfire response capability. This government has invested heavily in that physical capability. As of August this year, the ACT has 28 heavy tankers, 10 compressed air foam tankers, 15 medium tankers, 15 light units, 15 pumpers, two contracted helicopters for the bushfire season, and heavy plant and support vehicles. We have over 350 paid career firefighters, over 530 Rural Fire Service volunteers and 150 trained firefighters in the parks and conservation parks brigade as part of the Environment and Planning Directorate.
In support of our crews and vehicles, we have also invested in our fire tower capability, fire weather analysis, media liaison, mapping specialists, communications specialists and wider logistical and support capability. This is supported by a whole-of-government response to major disasters through the ACT emergency coordination centre, which coordinates with our hospitals, our schools and our evacuation centres and manages road closures, utilities, and liaises with national institutions such as the Department of Defence.
I am very pleased to put it on the record that we have a comprehensive investment in new capability. This government has gone further: we have new fleet acquisitions and station upgrades for ACT Fire and Rescue and the Rural Fire Service; we have extra personnel in Fire and Rescue; we have improved communications and personal protective equipment; we have built a new ESA headquarters; we have built a new training centre and helibase; and we have the contracted helicopters we need for bushfire fighting during the fire season.
We have also invested in education. The Canberra bushfire ready community education campaign will continue to be used to raise the community’s awareness of bushfire risk and encourage them to plan and prepare for bushfire. We have, of course, updated our strategic bushfire management plan, version 3 of which was tabled in the Assembly in September 2014. We also continue to invest in critical services, such as the community fire unit program, which plays a key role in building the capability of ordinary citizens who live on the bushfire risk interface in our suburbs—capabilities which they need to help protect their homes in the event of fire.
Mrs Jones talks about the importance of creating a culture of confidence in our emergency services and about supporting our ESA employees and volunteers in their role and making sure they feel fully supported. My amendment today talks about the importance of continuing to do that. That is what our ESA management team and the government seek to do each and every day by investing in capability, by making sure we have the consultative frameworks right, by making sure that we grow our ability to respond to fires and by making sure we continue to focus on the best possible service delivery to our community. I look forward to members’ support of the amendment.
Debate interrupted in accordance with standing order 74 and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour.
Sitting suspended from 12.30 to 2.30 pm.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video