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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-09-25 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

Firefighters Compensation Review

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Industrial Relations) (14:01): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: The house will recall that on 19 June 2013 I introduced the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (SAMFS Firefighters) Amendment Bill 2013. This bill was passed by both houses late last year. The bill, one of the most progressive in the country on the issue of presumptive legislation, removed the onus of proof on paid firefighters, as well as a cohort of CFS volunteer firefighters who attended a comparable number of fires as their Metropolitan Fire Service counterparts. To be more specific, the bill removed the onus of proof regarding claims for cancer compensation for CFS volunteers who attended, on average, 175 fire incidents over any five-year period. However, let me be very clear, no firefighter, whether volunteer or paid, is precluded from lodging a workers compensation claim under the current arrangements for cancer compensation.

Before the elections, the government committed to the review of the legislation. In the month after the state election, the Minister for Emergency Services (Hon. Tony Piccolo), the member for Frome (Hon. Geoff Brock) and I discussed the legislation and the requests of CFS volunteers, and subsequently collectively met with interested parties from the Country Fire Service, the CFS Volunteers Association, the Metropolitan Fire Service, United Firefighters Union and SAFECOM.

It was agreed by all parties that the data and assumptions made in the original actuarial report commissioned by the government would be reviewed and costings for various presumptive legislation options would be again developed by an independent actuarial specialist, whose appointment was subsequently agreed by all parties. By reviewing the data and the assumptions, and ultimately working from agreed figures and costs, the government and the CFS Volunteers Association will be able to confidently undertake further discussions on the legislation.

While the relevant ministers and I have been kept up to date on the progress of the review, particularly the member for Frome, who has noted the requirement for an expeditious and effective outcome, it has been undertaken free of any political involvement. It has been coordinated by SAFECOM, with the support of the CFS and CFS Volunteers Association, all of whom have worked tirelessly to collect and analyse data for use by the independent actuary.

The independent actuary, Finity, has now finalised their work and provided the government with information we require to continue our discussions with the CFS Volunteers Association in the coming weeks. Due to these ongoing discussions, we are not in a position to table a report today. I look forward to updating the house after discussions with the CFS Volunteers Association have concluded.

The Minister for Emergency Services, the member for Frome and I would like to thank the CFS and CFS Volunteers Association for their engagement and patience with the government on this issue. I would also like to thank SAFECOM for their coordination role, and the actuaries, Taylor Fry and, more recently, Finity, for their excellent reports.

Mr Goldsworthy: God!

The SPEAKER: The member for Kavel is called to order.

Mr Goldsworthy: What? I was just talking to the member for Bright.

The SPEAKER: You were taking the name of the Lord thy God in vain. The Minister for Health.

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