Bills

Fire and Emergency Services (Governance) Amendment Bill

Introduction and First Reading

Received from the House of Assembly and read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (17:54): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading explanation and the explanation of clauses inserted in Hansard without my reading them.

Leave granted.

The 2019-20 bushfire season was one of the worst seasons South Australia has ever endured.

The government immediately responded to the crisis by announcing an independent review would be undertaken to ensure we are better prepared for the 2020-21 season.

In January 2020, the government launched the independent review in to 2019-20 bushfire season ('the Review'), led by former Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mr Mick Keelty AO.

Despite the consultation limitations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, 576 submissions were received, with over 100 targeted surveys and 60 video/teleconferences held. Mr Keelty and the project team were able to deliver the report by the end of June 2020, acknowledging that this was the first report to be delivered nationally into the 2019-20 bushfire season.

The Review, released early in July 2020, made fifteen recommendations for improvements based on 68 individual findings. These improvements broadly fell under the following groupings:

New trucks, support and equipment for volunteers;

Better protection for our critical assets;

Enhanced communications and technology;

Improved information before and during bushfires; and

Other governance and capability improvements.

The government has quickly acted on the amendments to the existing legislation to appoint an independent chair to the SAFECOM board, as well as introducing reporting requirements from the State Bushfire Coordination Committee to state parliament.

The key objectives of this bill are to implement governance and capability improvements to demonstrate the government's commitment and appreciation of emergency services volunteers and to create a safer and more bushfire resilient community into the future.

I commend the Bill to Members.

Explanation of Clauses

Part 1—Preliminary

1—Short title

2—Commencement

3—Amendment provisions

These clauses are formal.

Part 2—Amendment of Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005

4—Amendment of section 3—Interpretation

This clause makes an amendment consequential to the changes to section 11 of the principal Act to ensure that the definition of appointed member includes a member appointed under new paragraph (a) of section 11(1).

5—Amendment of section 11—Constitution of Board

The amendment to clause 11 provides for the appointment of a member who is not an officer, member or employee of an emergency services organisation by the Governor to be the presiding member.

6—Amendment of section 14—Proceedings

This clause deletes from section 14(1) of the principal Act the requirement that, in the absence of the presiding member, the person appointed to preside must be an ex officio member of the Board.

7—Amendment of section 71E—Annual reports

This clause deletes the reference to SACFS and substitutes it with a reference to Minister. It also makes a related amendment requiring the Minister to ensure copies of the report provided to the Minister are laid before both Houses of Parliament.

8—Amendment of section 101—Annual reports

This clause makes a related amendment to the annual report provision as a result of the amendments proposed to section 71E of the principal Act to remove the requirement to provide for the annual report on the activities of the State Bushfire Coordination Committee and the bushfire management committees.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I Pnevmatikos.