Page 2685 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 15 August 2017
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number of initiatives in the emergency services portfolio that will enhance emergency services capabilities and support our hardworking personnel.
Just some of the initiatives announced in this year’s budget include $6.6 million to employ professional call takers and dispatchers in the emergency 000 communication centre; $576,000 to enable a second crew to be deployed at Ainslie fire and rescue station; and $2.9 million to relocate the ESA’s backup communications centre and ACT Ambulance’s non-emergency patient transport facilities.
There is also $147,000 for a recruit college for 16 firefighters to get more firefighters on the road and continue our efforts to actively encourage female participation in line with the women in emergency services strategy.
It is important that we continue to recruit staff in all our emergency services portfolios to ensure that rosters can be filled, workloads remain reasonable and staff can provide relief for each other. It is important too that they get home to their families when the need occurs.
In this context, I am particularly pleased with the initiative to recruit and train 16 new firefighters who will be ready to join the front line in May 2018. These new recruits will meet our election commitment to recruit more firefighters to address shortages and to replace staff likely to leave the service. It also continues our commitment to the women in emergency services strategy 50:50 recruitment in ACT Fire & Rescue and improving work force diversity.
MR PETTERSSON: Could the minister please inform the Assembly how this support directly benefits the frontline employees of the ACT Emergency Services Agency?
MR GENTLEMAN: The announcements in the 2017-18 ACT budget provide further government support that will assist our ESA staff and volunteers in their efforts to protect the ACT community. I thank all the staff and volunteers who work across each off the services within the ESA. They do a fantastic job. The government is committed to ensuring that our frontline emergency services employees and volunteers have the right equipment, resources and support to do their jobs well and safely. All of our investments in facilities, vehicles and protective equipment directly benefit the staff and volunteers who use those items on a daily basis while responding to emergencies.
I particularly draw the Assembly’s attention to our commitment in the 2017-18 budget to provide $100 annually as a subsidy for ACT firefighting volunteers for fitness programs and gym memberships. While small, this initiative will provide a positive impact on the cost of living for firefighting volunteers by reducing their out-of-pocket expenses for fitness-related activities.
In line with the 2016 election commitment, this announcement is a tangible means by which the ACT government will encourage and support volunteers to maintain the required fitness standard to perform their important roles.
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