SAFECOM ADVISORY BOARD

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:04): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Emergency Services a question about the South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission Advisory Board.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA: When the Fire and Emergency Services Act was passed, an advisory board made up of volunteer and staff representatives was included in the legislation. Will the minister advise the council of the success of the role of the SAFECOM Advisory Board and some of its positive contributions?

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:04): I thank the honourable member for his important question. Since the commencement of the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005, the SAFECOM Advisory Board has cemented its place in the emergency services sector as a key body to advise government about volunteer and stakeholder issues in emergency services.

Consisting of an independent presiding member, two representatives from the State Emergency Service (SES) and Country Fire Service (CFS) nominated by their representative associations, two representatives from the Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS)—one a full-time firefighter and one a retained firefighter—and a representative from the Local Government Association (LGA), the advisory board has worked on projects and policy initiatives of significance to the sector.

The volunteer and employer recognition support program that I have advised the chamber of previously is a key initiative of the advisory board, which recognises the need to promote and develop the recognition structures for volunteers and employers in the emergency services. The recently signed SES and CFS volunteer charters were also a project the advisory board managed and negotiated to a very successful completion. In addition, the advisory board is playing an important role in SAFECOM's current review of the Volunteer Management Branch and is advising on changes required to ensure more effective support is provided to thousands of emergency services volunteers across our state.

The advisory board is also working to provide key information to the volunteer administration workload audit, which is now analysing how volunteers can be better supported by SAFECOM and its agencies through the provision of support services, such as volunteer and business support officers. The advisory board has been a key contributor to creating an environment that breaks down traditional barriers and silos, helping us move forward to a more consolidated and cohesive sector.

In keeping with our commitment to support and enhance the role of volunteers in decision making and policy advice, the government recently announced as part of the report into the review of the Fire and Emergency Services Act that it would strengthen the role of the SAFECOM Advisory Board by placing its chair and presiding member on the SAFECOM board with full voting rights. In addition, the SAFECOM sector has codified through policy the requirement for the emergency service agencies to consult with the advisory board on matters that affect volunteers, staff and other stakeholders, such as local government.

The representatives on the SAFECOM Advisory Board should be congratulated for their service and contribution. I take this opportunity to mention the membership of the advisory board, as they are deserving of public recognition: Presiding Member, Linda Eldredge; Rex Hall of the CFS; Julie Lovett of the CFS; Susan Regnier of the MFS (retained firefighter); David Scarce of the MFS (full-time firefighter); Louise Reynolds of the SES; Andrew Macmichael of the SES; and Doreen Erwin from local government.

It was my pleasure last week to host advisory board members in Parliament House and to join them at the conclusion of their meeting. I assure the chamber that the SAFECOM Advisory Board has well and truly found its feet in the two years since the commencement of the legislation, and that volunteer representation and consultation is alive and well in the emergency services sector and remains so.

The need to consult with volunteers is pivotal to the continued development and improvement in the emergency services sector, and it is something that this government is strongly committed to. The advisory board will continue its work in the emergency services sector and has truly established itself as the peak consultative body in the sector for volunteer and stakeholder issues. The government will continue to support the advisory board's role and promote its achievements, and I am sure the chamber will join with me in congratulating the volunteers and stakeholder representatives for their endeavours, commitment and success.