Question On Notice No. 2506 asked in the Legislative Council on 24 September 2019 by Hon Colin De Grussa
Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Emergency Services
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Tabled Paper No: 3353-
View tabled paper
Question
I refer to Budget Paper 2, Volume 2, page 397 – Statement of Cashflows (Controlled), specifically subsection "Cashflows from operating activities", and I ask:
(a) will the Minister please provide a detailed breakdown of spending from the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) for:
(i) 2017-18;
(ii) 2018-19; and
(iii) the expected breakdown for 2019-20;
(b) will the Minister please provide a detailed breakdown of costs in relation to the line item “Employee Benefits for 2019-20“ including:
(i) the position title for each employee;
(ii) the pay level for each employee; and
(iii) the location from which each employee works;
(c) will the Minister please provide a detailed breakdown of costs in relation to the line item “Grants and Subsidies 2019-20”;
(d) of the "Grants and Subsidies" funding, why is there a notable decrease across the forward estimates;
(e) will the Minister please provide the expected breakdown of costs in relation to the line item “Other Payments” for 2019-20;
(f) what is the expected contribution from the ESL to the Bushfire Mitigation Strategy for:
(i) 2019-20; and
(ii) in total; and
(g) for the subheading “Net Cash from operating activities”, will the Minister please explain why there is an expected significant decrease in 2021?
Answered on 30 October 2019
(a) (i) 2017-18 $355.7 million
(ii) 2018-19 $390.6 million
(iii) 2019-20 $407.8 million
For breakdown of ESL [Please see tabled paper no.]
(b) $221,971. The breakdown of these costs are as follows:
2019-20
|
$’000
|
District Allowances
|
547
|
Fringe Benefits Tax
|
852
|
Other Staffing Costs
|
4,459
|
Salaries, Wages and Allowances
|
189,985
|
Staff Travel
|
4,279
|
Superannuation
|
21,849
|
Total
|
221,971
|
(i) to (iii) [Please see tabled paper no.]
Please note: the breakdown of employee benefits payments by position, pay level and location has not been provided as this includes allowances and overtime of which payment is dependent on operations and incidences that occur in the year. They are estimated in the budget as an aggregate and not against individual positions.
(c) 2019-20 Detailed of Controlled Grants and Subsidies $64.869 million as follows:
2019-20
|
$'000
|
All West Australians Reducing Emergencies Program
|
200
|
ChemCentre - Emergency Response Services
|
1,500
|
Local Government - Community Emergency Service Managers
|
2,643
|
Local Government Emergency Services Grants
|
33,055
|
Natural Disaster Resilience Program
|
2,432
|
Other
|
2,063
|
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Centre of Excellence Facility
|
1,310
|
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Mitigation Activity Fund DPLH
|
928
|
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Mitigation Activity ESL
|
11,190
|
Rural Fire Division - Bushfire Risk Management Planning
|
1,388
|
Shire of Gingin
|
700
|
Surf Life Saving Western Australia
|
1,381
|
Volunteer Fuel Card
|
1,070
|
Marine Rescue Service
|
5,009
|
Total
|
64,869
|
(d) The decrease does not reflect an actual decrease, but rather a reported decrease in Grants and Subsidies receipts of $4.650 million in 2022-23. This is the result of the funding from the Road Trauma Trust Fund for the South West Emergency Rescue Helicopter Service to be secured beyond 30 June 2021.
(e) Expected breakdown of costs in relation to the line item “Other Payments” for 2019-20 in relation to $37.060 million as follows:
2019-20
|
$'000
|
Equipment repairs and maintenance
|
20,256
|
Riskcover Premiums
|
12,768
|
Administration
|
2,116
|
Audit Fees
|
1,086
|
Advertising and promotion
|
593
|
Non capital assets
|
146
|
Other payments
|
95
|
Total
|
37,060
|
(f) Expected contribution from the ESL to the Bushfire Mitigation Strategy. (i) For 2019-20 $24.082 million comprising:
2019-20
|
$'000
|
Office of Bushfire Risk Management
|
1,218
|
Land Use Planning Services
|
579
|
Bushfire Technical Services
|
1,008
|
Bushfire Risk Management Planning
|
3,108
|
Bushfire Risk Management Bushfire Mitigation ESL
|
11,190
|
Bushfire Centre of Excellence
|
6,170
|
Rural Fire Executive
|
809
|
Total
|
24,082
|
(f) (ii) In total over the budget year and forward estimates period:
|
$'000
|
$'000
|
$'000
|
$'000
|
$'000
|
|
2019-20
|
2020-21
|
2021-22
|
2022-23
|
Total
|
Office of Bushfire Risk Management
|
1,218
|
1,229
|
1,241
|
1,253
|
4,941
|
Land Use Planning Services
|
579
|
583
|
588
|
593
|
2,343
|
Bushfire Technical Services
|
1,008
|
1,012
|
1,021
|
1,029
|
4,070
|
Bushfire Risk Management Planning
|
3,108
|
3,125
|
3,142
|
3,158
|
12,533
|
Bushfire Risk Management Bushfire Mitigation ESL
|
11,190
|
9,660
|
10,815
|
10,977
|
42,642
|
Bushfire Centre of Excellence
|
6,170
|
7,308
|
4,072
|
0
|
17,550
|
Rural Fire Executive
|
809
|
816
|
824
|
831
|
3,280
|
Total
|
24,082
|
23,733
|
21,703
|
17,841
|
87,359
|
(g) The decrease in the ‘Net Cash from operating activities’ is mainly attributable to:
- the payment of additional salaries of $3.4 million in 2021-22 for the 53rd pay period; and
- an additional $4.5 million of payments against services and contracts that will be reclassified in subsequent budget processes within the cash flow statement.