Emergency Services Volunteers

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:41): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Does the minister stand by his answer of yesterday when he said that the SES and CFS volunteer charters would be in regulation, when on page 10 of the Emergency Services Sector Reform Environmental Scan it says that throughout the reform engagement process the minister has committed to elevating the charters into legislation in a similar manner to the volunteer charter in the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 in Victoria?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:41): I thank the honourable member for his question. What was the report referred to there?

Dr McFetridge: The emergency sector reform, the environmental scan.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: What I can say is that the person who prepared the report was not in the sector at the time I undertook my consultation processes, and I make that very clear. The process is very simple: yes, there will be a head of powers in the act itself, and I talked about regulation. In fact, there was some discussion as to whether or not it should be a regulation around the volunteer sector. I said that a regulation would suffice, and elevate it from being a policy, which it is at the moment. I am committed to doing that.

I also remind members that I am committed to actually supporting all volunteers, unlike the current bill in parliament brought by the member for Morphett, which covers only some volunteers. He believes some volunteers in the emergency services are more important than others.