Fire and Emergency Services (Volunteer Charters) Amendment Bill

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 27 September 2017.)

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (23:02): I rise to speak on behalf of the government in favour of this bill. For those who are not aware, the Country Fire Service (CFS) and State Emergency Service (SES) volunteer charters were created in 2008 under a Labor government. Signatories to the charters include the Premier, the Minister for Emergency Services, the Minister for Volunteers, the chief officers of the CFS and the SES, and representatives from the volunteer associations.

This government has a proud history of supporting volunteers and that is why we have reaffirmed our commitment by re-signing the charters in 2013. The volunteer charters provide an important commitment by the state government to protect the needs and interests of our CFS and SES volunteers. They represent a commitment by the government, CFS, SES and SAFECOM to consult with the volunteer associations and CFS and SES volunteers about all matters that might affect them.

The government takes this commitment seriously and invests considerable effort in seeking the views of volunteers, listening and responding appropriately. The charters also acknowledged that respect should be shown between the government, CFS, SES and volunteers while also recognising the safety of the South Australian community. They reflect a strong emergency services sector which continues to work shoulder to shoulder at our times of need.

The charters have served well since their creation and this bill further recognises the immeasurable contribution our volunteers make in serving and protecting our communities by referencing the charters in the Fire and Emergency Services Act. The government has not previously seen the need to include the charters in legislation as we are committed to the charters and have been operating in accordance with their content.

The government supports this bill because we know how important the charters are to our CFS and SES volunteers. It will not change the way the government operates, as we will continue to ensure we consult and respect the views of our emergency services volunteers in accordance with our commitments laid out in the charters.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (23:04): I rise on behalf of the Greens briefly to indicate that we support this bill. Indeed, it is a commitment that has been expected for some time by the volunteers within these emergency services. With those few words, we look forward to the passage of the bill.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (23:04): I also rise to support, on behalf of Liberal members, the Hon. Robert Brokenshire's Fire and Emergency Services (Volunteer Charters) Amendment Bill. In both 2012 and 2015 the parliamentary Liberal Party determined policies to include the volunteer charters of the Country Fire Service Volunteers Association and the SA SES Volunteers' Association into the Fire and Emergency Services Act.

The volunteer charters, as we have heard, were first signed in 2008 and were relaunched in 2013. The charters set out obligations on both the government and the volunteer associations, including the requirement for government to consult with those associations on any matter that might reasonably be expected to affect them. As we have heard earlier, Victoria also recognises the volunteer charter in the Country Fire Authority Act 1958.

I think anybody who served in recent times on the emergency services select committee, chaired by the Hon. Mr Brokenshire, would remember the agitation from the volunteer associations at the time of the move by the former minister for emergency services, the member for Light in another place. I think there are long memories in the volunteer associations but also just in the more informal networks of volunteers. Significant agitation remains following the so-called reform process that the then minister took on. We have seen what happened in Victoria. I have very good friends who are in the Country Fire Authority as volunteers, and the agitation remains over there.

Recognition of our emergency service volunteers is an important step. The Liberal Party support for this builds on our commitment to better recognise Surf Life Saving SA and the surf lifesaving volunteers in legislation.

I talked about the experience out of that committee. Very briefly—and I have not been involved in the CFS for some time—as a relatively young man I did give a fair bit of time to the CFS. I fought both the 1980 and 1983 Ash Wednesday fires. They will remain in my memory forever, particularly a very close call that we had at Vimy Ridge in 1980. I think we need to support the volunteers who give so much service. We would never be able to pay all the people who do all the work to protect us in the case of fires. We have seen that in the last few days. In only 10 days' time is the second anniversary of the Pinery fire, and the impacts of that, we know, are still evident in that district.

With those remarks, and in saying that the Liberal Party will be supporting this bill, I note that it is also something that is a very strong part of our policy program if the Liberal Party is fortunate enough to be elected to government next March.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (23:08): Firstly I thank all honourable members for their contribution. In particular, I thank the Hon. Mr Hanson, from the government; the Hon. Ms Franks, from the Greens; and the Hon. Mr Dawkins, from the Liberal Party, the opposition. The great thing about hearing the contributions tonight was that this is above party politics, and this is above the parliament from the point of view that we all respect and appreciate and admire the great work that the CFS and the SES volunteers do. We know that the Hon. Mr Tony Piccolo committed to this.

The reason I have brought this in is not about partisan politics but about bipartisan politics. I have brought it in because we face a very tough season. We rely so much on our volunteers and they have been stretched and hurt by previous circumstances that have occurred, which I will not go into now because this is a point of celebration and not a point of reassessing what happened historically.

It is a wise and sensible opportunity for the parliament to support. I am putting it to a vote tonight because I would like to see it go through, and there is no reason why it cannot now, with the support of the government, the opposition and the crossbenches, go through both houses before we get up for the election. It will reinvigorate and add confidence to all the volunteers who do so much for the state of South Australia. I thank those volunteers for what they do. This shows that they are not taken for granted. I thank my colleagues for their support and I commend the bill to the house.

Bill read a second time.

Committee Stage

Bill taken through committee without amendment.

Third Reading

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (23:12): I move:

That this bill be now read a third time.

Bill read a third time and passed.