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Parliamentary Questions


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.