Legislative Council Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2) 51 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Firefighters FIREFIGHTERS The Hon. S.G. WADE Legislative Council FIREFIGHTERS The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:37): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Emergency Services a question about provisions for injured firefighters. Leave granted. The Hon. S.G. WADE Legislative Council The Hon. S.G. WADE: Yesterday, the Australian Nursing Federation, the United Firefighters Union of Australia and the Ambulance Employees Association of South Australia announced that they have united in a campaign to protect injured workers from cuts to WorkCover entitlements. A joint release issued yesterday quotes an injured firefighter as saying, 'We do important dangerous work. We want to know that, if we are injured, we will be properly supported.' The Branch Secretary of the United Firefighters Union of Australia, Greg Northcott, said that the primary focus of workers compensation should be the effective return to work of injured workers and the adoption of supportive strategies to assist this process. He said, 'There are fairer ways of fixing the financial viability of WorkCover that would provide equitable outcomes for all parties involved.' A UFU press release relating to WorkCover, issued on 5 March, quotes the United Firefighters Union industrial officer as saying: The emergency services serve and protect South Australians with great pride and significant sacrifice...All that firefighters ask is that, if they were injured in the line of duty, the workers compensation scheme protects them just as they have protected the public... The press release continues: [Rann] has lost touch with the workers of this state. Firefighters of this state will not accept nor will they tolerate the Rann attacks on the workers of the state. I understand that firefighters of both the MFS and the CFS are covered by WorkCover. My questions are: 1.	Has the minister met with the UFU or the CFSVA to discuss the impact of the WorkCover changes on firefighters? 2.	Has the minister met or will she meet with the UFU to discuss fairer ways of fixing the financial viability of WorkCover? 3.	Does the minister consider that the reduction of WorkCover entitlements will affect our ability to recruit volunteers to the CFS? The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO Legislative Council Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:39): I thank the honourable member for his question, and I am pleased that today he is a little more sympathetic to the UFU in particular—yesterday, he did not have time for it. I have placed on record on many occasions this government's commitment to the emergency services in this state—a great deal more than when members opposite were in government—but I will not repeat all of it again. I meet on a fairly regular basis with the Country Fire Service Volunteer Association. Indeed, I met with it this Monday. Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO Legislative Council The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: We discussed several issues, including the one that has been raised by the honourable member. About a week ago I met with the UFU as well. It is a disgrace that members opposite do not appear to understand the responsibilities that any government has in relation to the WorkCover scheme in this state. It is an absolute disgrace. What this government is working towards is having a scheme that is fully funded and one, more importantly, that returns workers back to work. That is the aim of a responsible government. I notice that the Hon. Rob Lucas is not looking up, as a former treasurer. So, that is the aim of responsible government. Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister does not need any help from those behind her. The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO Legislative Council The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: I have full confidence in the UFU. It would never put the community of South Australia at risk. As I said, we are acting responsibly. Clearly, we have met on a regular basis with the unions and have legislation in the other place which improves the WorkCover legislation. Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order!