Emergency Services Minister Tony Piccolo allegedly promised two MFS trucks to the Mount Barker CFS brigade in an unprecedented move by a minister, the Select Committee inquiring into Emergency Services reforms heard today.
Evidence was given that the Mount Barker CFS brigade has been allocated extra equipment for structural fires, additional training and two MFS appliances.
CFS chief officer Greg Nettleton told the committee he was aware a number of meetings had occurred over the past 18 months in relation to Mount Barker in particular.
He said he hadn’t attended all of the meetings but he understood the loan of MFS trucks to the CFS brigade was a recent commitment made by the Minister.
“Mount Barker is a trial to see what can be done in the future,” he said.
Mr Nettleton was asked by The Greens MLC Tammy Franks whether the equipment, training and trucks were contingent on the reforms going through to which he replied ‘once people are trained they can’t be untrained’.
He said he was unsure how long the trucks would remain at Mount Barker.
The committee asked MFS acting chief officer Greg Crossman, who has been in the service for 37 years, whether he was aware of any other minister making a commitment of trucks to a CFS brigade, to which he replied "No, I’m not".
Mr Crossman said he supported a trial to gather data but didn't think putting two urban appliances into an area would make a whole range of difference.
“It doesn’t increase response times,” he said.
However, Minister Piccolo, who was not in attendance, denies he made such a direction.
“The Mount Barker CFS Brigade raised concerns in 2013 about their perceived limitations responding their expanding community,” he said.
“At the time SAFECOM were tasked with undertaking a risk assessment of the area and an assessment of the brigade’s capability.”
“This was also advocated to me by the local Member of Parliament, Mark Goldsworthy.”
“Having received this advice, I spoke to the SAFECOM board which includes the Chief Officers of the MFS and CFS and asked them to consider trialling a new service delivery model combining MFS and CFS resources.”
Committee chair Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire said the evidence given at the meeting was concerning to him.
“Under the existing Act, it is the chief officer who makes the decision about where equipment goes, not a minister and not the government,” he said.
It was not the only legislative issue uncovered by the committee, with both fire chiefs acknowledging they believed legislation changes were required for the sector reforms.
“What we found today is there must be legislation changes and I’m calling on the government to bring the legislation in before they do the reform and get a sign-off from the parliament,” Mr Brokenshire said.
“It is absurd to think with all of those volunteers risking their lives for our community that they are being put into reform when there are no legislative changes.”
Mr Brokenshire said the government has also put the cart before the horse in relation to hiring a Commissioner of Emergency Services, a position for which Mr Nettleton and MFS deputy chief officer Michael Morgan have applied.
He said the government could administratively appoint a commissioner but have a problem if legislation changes are needed and parliament says no to them.
“Then they've just wasted more money and upset thousands of volunteers and the proper due process would be to bring the legislation changes in, let the democratic parliament make a decision and then if the parliament says yes to the government then you go ahead and appointment,” he said.
Mr Piccolo has previously stated the reform would be slowed down in order to work within current legislative framework.
He has not halted the process for hiring a commissioner on the basis it can occur under existing legislation now the chiefs are being retained.
It was the first sitting of the recently formed Select Committee. Further evidence will be given tomorrow.