Page 2837 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 29 June 2011
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That being under the control of the Rural Fire Service. She states that the agency on whose land a fire starts has responsibility to respond immediately and that:
… the land management agency should be responsible for efforts to suppress fire until such time as it becomes clear that that suppression task is beyond the capacity of the agency …
Finally, she states:
… that public land management agencies ensure that their senior personnel have appropriate experience in fire management and are provided with adequate resources and suitably experienced and trained staff to effectively implement fire management programs.
In a large way that is exactly what the government have done and I think they are to be congratulated. But for reasons unknown, this is all about to be dismantled. Given the position of the coroner with respect to the role of the ACT in managing public lands and in responding to fires which occur on that land, I think it is important that these arrangements are not destroyed, as Mr Corbell is about to do, but in fact enhanced.
It is also interesting to note the conclusions reached by Dr Allan Hawke in his recent report. Hawke endorsed the role of TAMS in its land managing function and particularly emphasised the role of TAMS, through Parks, Conservation and Lands, to undertake fire-fighting activities and the maintenance of fire trails and other related infrastructure.
Indeed, he highlighted the important role of TAMS in hazard reduction activities in collaboration with the Emergency Services Agency. Dr Hawke also comments on page 174 of his report:
The operations of PCL … have been the subject of a recent and significant internal review.
It is interesting to compare this comment against the comments made by the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services yesterday in question time. In response to my question, he said:
… the functions of the fire management unit remain unchanged.
He also said that the role of manager of the fire unit “has changed substantially”. What is going on with the fire management function within TAMS? We have the Hawke report from a month or so ago saying that the relevant area has just been subjected to a significant review and there is no need for any changes. Now we have the new minister saying two very interesting things—first, that the functions of the fire management unit remain unchanged. If we take him at his word, that is okay as far as it goes.
But, secondly, the minister said that the role of the manager will change substantially. What has happened to the role of the manager of the unit? Really, the role of the
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