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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-03-05 Daily Xml
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METROPOLITAN FIRE SERVICE

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:23): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Emergency Services a question relating to the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Today the United Firefighters Union issued a press release headed 'Rann to attack injured firefighters', which reads, in part:

Premier Mike Rann and his government have yet again highlighted how out of touch they are with the emergency service organisations of this state. Further to the government refusal to provide funds to staff the new multi-million dollar Beulah Park fire station with a crew, and adequately resource the Metropolitan Fire Service, the Rann government now propose to cut the entitlements of injured firefighters.

It continues:

'The emergency services serve and protect South Australians with great pride and significant sacrifice', said Joe Szakacs, United Firefighters Union industrial officer. '...All that firefighters ask is that if they were injured in the line of duty, the workers compensation scheme protects them just as they have protected the public...'

The press release goes on:

[Rann] has lost touch with the workers of this state. Firefighters of this state will not accept nor will they tolerate the Rann attacks on the workers of this state.

Further, according to the MFS annual report for 2006-07, the MFS, having aimed to reduce WorkCover claims by 20 per cent, in fact, experienced a four per cent increase. I am also informed that the Metropolitan Fire Service was recently issued with 18 non-compliance items following a WorkCover review.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.G. WADE: I fear that the minister may not have been able to hear that because of interjections from the Leader of the Government. My question to the minister is: given that the government cannot manage WorkCover as a scheme and cannot manage occupational health and safety within its agencies, will the government be forced to recruit further firefighters to accommodate the increase in days lost—an estimated 80 per cent in the most recent financial year?

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:26): It will be interesting when the debate on the WorkCover legislation reaches this council. We will watch with great expectation to see how the Hon. Stephen Wade actually votes. That will be interesting. I think that there is very little more that I can add.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Perhaps the minister would like to start again, because I could not hear it.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: Yes, I think I should repeat that. It will, indeed, be interesting to see how the Hon. Stephen Wade actually does vote when the WorkCover legislation comes to this place. It is this government—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: Yes. They all stood up for it then, did they not? It will, indeed, be interesting. I am already on record in this place saying how much this government has increased funding to the MFS (over $25 million since we came to government), and with 194 new recruits. The opposition record is so shameful that it really should be embarrassed. We all know, of course, that firefighting is a high-risk occupation and, clearly, it is a high-risk job that they undertake. We are working very hard with the MFS in relation to ensuring that our firefighters are always well prepared. Indeed, this government also, at a cost of several million dollars, introduced personal protective clothing in the state.

As I said, the record of the opposition is just shameful—just shameful and woeful. The fact that the Hon. Stephen Wade can get up in this place and attack this government and the way that it looks after the firefighters of this state really is shameful.

An honourable member interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Dawkins will take his place.

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