WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT — VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS
656. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the growing concerns
about the consequences of the Work Health and Safety Act 2020, which provides new responsibilities on volunteer bush fire brigade
bushfire control officers when managing local fire events and increased
duty-of-care pressure upon local governments. Who in the chain of the
Department of Fire and Emergency Services,
local government CEOs, community and emergency services managers, local brigade
officers, bushfire control officers and farmers, takes the ultimate
responsibility for the safety of a volunteer firefighter while on a fireground?
Mr R.R.
WHITBY replied:
I thank the member for that
question. It is an interesting question coming from the Nationals WA, given
that the legislation relied on the support from the National Party to be
passed.
Mr P.J. Rundle: We supported
it, so what's your problem?
Mr R.R. WHITBY: The Nationals
supported the legislation —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: Order, please,
members! Minister, perhaps I should have, when I listened to the question,
given a little guidance that questions, of course, cannot ask for a legal
opinion, so I just ask you to take that into account in responding.
Mr R.R. WHITBY: What I will
say about this legislation is that it is well and truly welcomed. It is
necessary. We believe that all first responders need to be protected in the
workplace that they find themselves in, including emergency volunteer responders. In many ways, this legislation simply
continues the requirements that have always existed previously. Similar
legislation was introduced in the eastern states and there were concerns there
as well about the impact on first responders. Claims were made at the time that
volunteers would not turn up for duty. None
of those claims or concerns have eventuated. The Department of Fire and
Emergency Services is working very hard and diligently to inform the
community first responders. There is engagement about what this will mean and how
it will work. I can assure the member that it is good legislation. This
legislation was actually supported by the member's
party, for good reason, because it is important to protect first responders as
well as a wide range of people in the workplace in these situations.