DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND
EMERGENCY SERVICES — VOLUNTEERS — CODE OF CONDUCT
690. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the minister representing the
Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the mandatory online
code of conduct training for all Department of Fire and Emergency Services
volunteers, which commenced this week.
(1) What
consultation took place with DFES volunteers in the formulation of the code of
conduct, and what are the consequences if a DFES volunteer refuses to sign up
to the code of conduct?
(2) Is the
minister aware of the potential impact this code of conduct may have on already
plummeting volunteer numbers?
(3) Are DFES volunteers afforded the same protections
as DFES employees under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003 to allow
whistleblowing for improper conduct; and, if not, will the minister commit to
extending these protections?
(4) Will the
minister refer the code of conduct to the State Solicitor to ensure that
volunteers' constitutional rights to implied freedom of political communication
and expression are protected?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. Honourable member, there must have been an
administrative error because I thought that this was a question asked by Hon Jacqui
Boydell. I am confident it is a question that the member has asked, so I will
provide the answer.
(1) The code of conduct is a mandatory requirement
under section 9 of the Public Sector Management Act 1994. The code of
conduct course forms part of the induction for all employees and Department of
Fire and Emergency Services volunteers. Bush
fire brigades are not included unless the brigade is managed by DFES.
New employees and DFES volunteers are required to complete the training as part
of their induction. Existing staff and volunteers are expected to complete the
course. There is no sanction for not completing the course. There is no
requirement to consult volunteers in the formulation of the code of conduct.
(2) There is no
evidence that training or specifically code of conduct training is an issue in
DFES volunteer recruitment or retention. The DFES code of conduct course takes
approximately 15 minutes to read and complete. The code of conduct training
sets out the expected standards of conduct and behaviour of all employees and
DFES volunteers, which supports an inclusive culture conducive to the
attraction and retention of volunteers.
(3) Section 13 of
the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003 affords the same protection to everyone
who makes a public interest disclosure, DFES volunteers included.
(4) DFES has
already sought legal advice from the State Solicitor's Office, which
found no legal impediment to rights of volunteers within the code of conduct.