Emergency Services

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:31): I was not limiting my question to ambulance cover as a recognition of service. In light of the government's ESL hikes, for example, Country Fire Service volunteers might similarly receive benefits in terms of remissions to their ESL obligations.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:32): Again, the ESL and its coverage, remissions and the like are questions for the Treasurer, so, again, I am happy to take some information on notice. What I would say generally, having had some awareness with emergency services and the entitlements of volunteers and the like, this government is very grateful for the incredible work that our volunteers do.

I spoke yesterday about our sincere appreciation of the extraordinary SES volunteers and our recognition of that on Wear Orange Wednesday. I note the attempted hijack by the shadow minister, which was disappointing, but we are a government that is incredibly grateful for all the work that our volunteers undertake. Of course, we are also a government that recognises that volunteering is indeed exactly that: it is volunteering, and we need to think carefully about the way public policy operates around volunteering.

If incentives are provided, then of course it undermines the concept of volunteering itself. In my now three or four months of experience in talking directly to volunteers, what I can share with the council is that volunteers are very committed to providing a service to their community, and more often than not are not looking for anything in return. In fact, I have not come across any volunteer who has enunciated anything to me that demonstrates or suggests that they are looking for anything in return.

Volunteers I have engaged with, and those who have been on the front line recently serving our community in some pretty awful conditions, have made it clear that all they are looking for, if anything, is the satisfaction that they get as a result of helping out a fellow member of their community. That is their principal desire, and I think that is something that is worthy of recognition. Leaders within the sector, such as people like myself and the shadow minister, should be doing everything they can to give them that acknowledgement wherever the opportunity falls due, including on days like Wear Orange Wednesday.