Fire Rescue Victoria

Fire Rescue Victoria
Operational area
Country  Australia
State  Victoria
Agency overview
Established 2017 (2017)
Employees 3,400
Staffing Career
Facilities and equipment
Stations 82
Locations to be serviced by Fire Rescue Victoria[1]

Fire Rescue Victoria is a planned fire service in Victoria, Australia. It is planned to cover the metropolitan area of Melbourne and populous urban centres in regional Victoria. The creation of Fire Rescue Victoria will also include increased funding to fire services and establish other government agencies.[2]

History

Victoria has been serviced by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and Country Fire Authority since the 1950s. Following the Black Saturday bushfires, the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission recommended that a Fire Commissioner be appointed to advise on the boundary between the two services, the Metropolitan Fire District.[3]

In October 2016, the Australian Federal government passed amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009. These amendments were to prevent any enterprise bargaining agreement terms that "[affect] the ability of an organisation to engage, deploy, support, equip or manage its volunteers". The Government of Victoria stated that creating an enterprise agreement while maintaining a combined career and volunteer firefighting service would be very difficult without such terms.[4]

On 19 May 2017, Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino announced changes to the Victorian Fire Services.[1] The changes will see all Victorian Fire Services respond to incidents as they previously have. A website explaining the changes states "Fire Rescue Victoria – will bring together MFB and CFA career firefighters to serve metropolitan Melbourne and major regional centres."[5] It is expected to a number of years to fully implement these changes.[6]

Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley discusses the "future opportunity".[7] Through the Fire Services Statement, Victoria’s fire services will begin a new chapter. These reforms are the most extensive since the 1950s and will require significant engagement with firefighters and brigades across Victoria.

Information and engagement sessions have taken place across the state. Volunteers in rural areas and at integrated stations have been able to speculate on what changes may occur for them. It is quite clear, especially with the information provided directly from CFA's Chief Fire Officer and EMV's Craig Lapsley that volunteers in rural areas will see no major changes to how they operate. One of the biggest changes to occur is the extra $100M of funding for the volunteer CFA brigades. Integrated volunteers have the opportunity to remain as they are, to be co-located with the re-badged Fire Rescue Victoria staff, or to find a new location if they wish to have a fully volunteer CFA station. Local planning for transition will take place in the coming months.

Firefighter and support staff representative bodies will be engaged on details of the reforms, including on the CFA Support Fund and the first responder health program.

Operational implementation of these changes will be overseen by the Fire Services Operational Implementation Committee. This Committee will be chaired by Mr Greg Mullins AFSM, former Commissioner Fire and Rescue NSW, it will include representatives from EMV, and fire and emergency services. This Committee will ensure that fire and rescue services for all Victorian communities will continue as normal while this reform is rolled out.

Consistent with the recommendations of the Fire Services Review, the Government intends to develop a modern legislative framework for Victoria’s fire services.

The new fire services model involves four "priorities"[2]:

  1. Reform the Country Fire Authority into a volunteer-only service
  2. Expand the Metropolitan Fire Brigade to include the career brigades of the CFA and rename it Fire Rescue Victoria
  3. Establish the Fire District Review Panel and Emergency Services Infrastructure Authority
  4. Improve diversity and culture within the fire services and provide access to cancer compensation for both career and volunteer firefighters

Each priority includes increased funding for both fire services, but will not result in an increase in levies placed upon property owners.

After this first stage of legislative reform, further work will be undertaken to modernise our fire services legislation. The reforms outlined in the Fire Services Statement will take a number of years to fully implement. Any costs associated with implementing the reforms will not be met through the Fire Services Property Levy. In addition, the amount collected through the Fire Services Property Levy in the next two years will not exceed the amount collected in 2016/17. Once the new fire services have been implemented, the Government will consider how to streamline and align the Fire Services Property Levy to these new arrangements.[6]

Fire District Review Panel

Following the creation of Fire Rescue Victoria, the Victorian Government will establish the Fire District Review Panel.[8] The panel will regularly review the Metropolitan Fire District and advise the Minister for Emergency Services on any changes to be made. The Minister will have the final decision to change the district boundaries.[9] Currently, the Metropolitan Fire District is established by the Metropolitan Fire Brigades Act 1958. Any change to the district boundaries must either be by amendment to the act or by request of a municipal council. The district boundaries have not changed since the 1950s.[10]

Emergency Services Infrastructure Authority

The Emergency Services Infrastructure Authority (ESIA) will be established following Fire Rescue Victoria. ESIA will oversee planning, project management, procurement, construction of new fire stations and upgrades to existing stations. It will oversee a $44m station building program for the CFA.

The establishment of ESIA will be subject to consultation with FRV, the CFA, the Victoria State Emergency Service, Life Saving Victoria and unions and other representative bodies.[11]

Transitioning CFA stations

Part of the change is to transition 35 CFA stations to Fire Rescue Victoria.[12] These stations currently house both career and volunteer firefighters. The career firefighters will become part of Fire Rescue Victoria. The Government and CFA will work with volunteers to identify the best solution for volunteers at each brigade.[13]

Brigades transitioning from Country Fire Authority to Fire Rescue Victoria[1][14]
RegionBrigades
North EastShepparton, Wangaratta, Wodonga
South EastMorwell, Traralgon
North WestBendigo, Mildura
South WestPortland, Warrnambool
WestBallarat City
North East Metropolitan AreaBoronia, Rowville, South Warrandyte
South East Metropolitan AreaCranbourne, Dandenong, Frankston, Hallam, Mornington, Pakenham, Patterson River, Rosebud, Springvale
North West Metropolitan AreaCaroline Springs, Craigieburn, Eltham, Greenvale, Hoppers Crossing, Melton, Point Cook, South Morang, Sunbury
South West Metropolitan AreaBelmont, Corio, Geelong City, Ocean Grove

Failure to pass legislation

The legislation was presented to the Victorian Upper house just before Easter 2018, and led to a record sitting to allow it to pass, including controversy over pairing of a cross bench member[15] The legislation was defeated on the third reading on Easter Sunday [16]. The bill is described as a "Disputed Bill" [17] and can be considered after the next election by a committee known as the Dispute Resolution Committee in line with the Constitutional (Parliamentary Reform) Act 2003 [18].

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Fire Services in Victoria - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Victoria's new fire service model - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  3. ↑ 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission Final Report Summary (PDF) (Report). Volume 1. Parliament of Victoria. July 2010. p. 18-19. ISBN 9780980740820. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  4. ↑ Parliamentary Inquiry into the Firefighters’ Presumptive Rights Compensation and Fire Services Legislation Amendment (Reform) Bill 2017 - Victorian Government Submission (revised) (PDF) (Report). Parliament of Victoria. July 2017. p. 27. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "Support For Firefighters When They Need It Most". Premier of Victoria. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Next steps - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  7. ↑ Emergency Management Victoria, State Government of Victoria. "Future change in the fires services". www.emv.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  8. ↑ "FAQ Archive - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. "Who is responsible for reviewing the metropolitan boundaries? How often do boundaries get reviewed?". Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  9. ↑ "Firefighters' Presumptive Rights Compensation and Fire Services Legislation Amendment (Reform) Bill 2017". Part 4, Bill of 2017 (PDF). p. Pages 41-50. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  10. ↑ Inquiry into the Firefighters’ Presumptive Rights Compensation and Fire Services Legislation Amendment (Reform) Bill 2017 Final Report (PDF) (Report). Parliament of Victoria. 22 August 2017. p. 30. ISBN 9781925458992. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  11. ↑ "Priority 3 - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  12. ↑ "FAQ Archive - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. "What is happening to Victoria’s fire services?". Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  13. ↑ "FAQ Archive - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. "What happens to CFA volunteers at the 35 integrated stations?". Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  14. ↑ "Metropolitan Melbourne - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  15. ↑ "Subscribe to The Weekly Times". www.weeklytimesnow.com.au. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  16. ↑ Counsel, Office of the Chief Parliamentary. "Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel - Victorian Legislation Home Page". www.legislation.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  17. ↑ McDonald, Robert. "Parliament of Victoria - 10. Bills". www.parliament.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  18. ↑ "Victorian Statute Book Act". www.legislation.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
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