Metropolitan Fire Service

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:49): My question is to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. Can the minister update the house on the progress of the MFS direct entry project? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PEDERICK: The MFS does not currently accept requests for lateral transfers from other states or territories within Australia, and applicants must go through the full selection process. The opposition understands that a process was underway during 2023, which would allow career firefighters from interstate services to seek direct entry to employment with the MFS; however, to date, this opportunity has not been realised.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN (Kavel—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Special Minister of State) (14:50): I thank the shadow minister for his question. As I indicated to the house in my previous answer, I was meeting with service chiefs just this morning, including Mr Chris Beattie, the SES chief, and we discussed at some length the transfer of staff between jurisdictions, not necessarily career staff but, of course, the spectrum or architecture—

Mr Pederick: This is about MFS.

The Hon. D.R. CREGAN: —of service staff right across Australia. So we discussed it, of course, with the SES chief. We discussed it at large with the other two service chiefs, including the MFS chief, how it is that different states have intergovernmental arrangements to share staff. I appreciate that the shadow minister's question is, as I understand it, slightly different. As I understand it, it is the transfer of career officers from one jurisdiction to another with respect to a particular agency. I would be certainly keen to examine the issue further and come back to the house with an answer on notice.