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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 656 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 21 October 2021 by Mr P.J. Rundle

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

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.