CONSOLIDATED EMERGENCY SERVICES ACT
How the West reaches its Best:
- Release the Consolidated Emergency Services Act (CES Act) Exposure Draft Bill for consultation as a priority
- CES Act must address key issues identified by Local Governments including mechanism to transfer control of Voluntary Bush Fire Brigades
- New or expanded responsibilities for Local Government under the CES Act must be funded
Successive State Governments have recognised the need to consolidate WA’s outdated emergency services legislation. The long overdue consolidation of the Fire Brigades Act 1942, Bush Fires Act 1954, and Fire and Emergency Services Act 1998 into a single piece of legislation, the Consolidated Emergency Services Act (CES Act), is essential to provide a strong and integrated foundation for effective emergency services management in the future, improve community safety and provide better support for emergency services workers.
Local Government has long supported a review of the emergency services legislation. The CES Act is important for Local Governments, who have a critical role under the Bush Fires Act 1954 for the prevention, control, and extinguishment of bushfires, as well as the establishment and management of Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades and the appointment of Bush Fire Control Officers.
It is essential that Local Governments are involved in the development of the new Act and its associated regulations and supporting materials. The draft of the Exposure Bill is currently in progress and should be released for consultation as a priority.
Areas that must be addressed in the CES Act include:
- A clear definition of roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders in emergency management, including Local Governments.
- An efficient mechanism to enable Local Governments to transfer responsibility of Volunteer Bushfire Brigades to the State Government should they choose to do so.
- Improved processes to transfer control of bushfires between Local Governments, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA).
- Consistent and locally relevant standards for Bush Fire Brigade training and doctrine that recognise the volunteer context and impact.
- The State Government to be required to comply with the same obligations under the CES Act as other landholders.
Ensuring there is funding available to support the implementation of the new Act is essential. The State Government should conduct a comprehensive costing analysis of the new Act, providing details of the financial implications for Local Governments before the release of any Exposure Draft Bill. Any new or expanded responsibilities for Local Governments under the CES Act must be matched with funding and resources so they can fulfil their obligations effectively.
Capel Shire President and Volunteer Firefighter Cr Doug Kitchen
EMERGENCY SERVICES FUNDING
How the West reaches its Best:
- Review and redesign the Local Government Grants Scheme to ensure it can meet the current and future needs of Local Government Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades and the State Emergency Service
- Conduct an audit of buildings, facilities, appliances, vehicles and major items of equipment for Local Government VBFBs and the SES to inform the preparation of a Comprehensive Asset Management Plan
- Provide an interim increase to the quantum of State Government funding to provide resources necessary for the safe and efficient operation of Local Government VBFBs
- Increase the Mitigation Activity Fund and expand its scope to all bushfire risk reduction activities
Local Government Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades (VBFBs) and State Emergency Services (SES) play a critical role in WA’s emergency and disaster response capabilities. Across the State, Local Governments manage 563 VBFBs with approximately 20,000 volunteers, and oversee funding for both VBFBs and SES. Local Governments are responsible for the initial fire response over 91.8% of the Western Australian landmass.
The Emergency Services Levy (ESL) is used to raise funds to support emergency services provided by Government and volunteer organisations. It supports essential activities to ensure the community is prepared for and able to respond to emergencies, including frontline services, emergency response capability and reducing community exposure to risk.
The 2017 Economic Regulation Authority (ERA) Inquiry into the ESL recommended that the State Government should continue to raise funds for emergency services through the ESL, but that the distribution of funds should be made more transparent and independent. It also recommended that services funded from the ESL should be clearly defined, provided in a cost-effective way, and targeted towards the greatest need.
These recommendations have not been implemented but remain a priority to ensure all emergency services have the resources to protect the community.
In 2022, the Office of the Auditor General’s Report on Funding of Volunteer Emergency and Fire Services found that the ESL funds around 82% of DFES’ operating costs compared to 68% when it was introduced in 2003.
Improving the operation and transparency of the ESL remains a priority, including:
- Expanding the ESL to fund Local Government emergency management activities across prevention, preparedness and response.
- Administration of the ESL by an independent organisation that is funded through consolidated revenue, with regular independent reviews of expenditure and assessment of the effectiveness of ESL funding expenditure to support prevention, preparedness and response activities.
- Fully compensating Local Governments for administering the ESL.
- Public disclosure of the allocation and expenditure of the ESL.
Local Government Grants Scheme
Despite their important role in keeping our communities safe, the funding provided to VBFB through the Local Government Grant Scheme (LGGS) is not sufficient to meet their needs. There are several factors that have contributed to funding pressures for VBFBs:
- Rising costs for buildings, equipment, materials, and labour.
- More stringent Work Health and Safety standards.
- Changing composition of the volunteer workforce, including the need for facilities that accommodate the increasing number of female volunteers.
- Higher insurance premiums.
To ensure that our emergency volunteers have the necessary facilities and equipment, the LGGS must be reviewed and redesigned to create a sustainable, modern, and equitable grants program that funds Local Government emergency management activities across prevention, preparedness, and response.
Demand for capital funding through the LGGS has consistently exceeded the available resources, and this gap is widening. In 2017-18, the shortfall between total funding requested and funding approved was $3.4 million. By 2022-23, this gap had grown to $23.2 million. For the 2023-24 period the total LGGS budget was $32.3 million, including fleet, facilities and operating grants. This included funding already committed to the Fleet Assets Annual Build Program. 148 capital grant applications were received totalling $48.7 million. Only 37 capital applications totalling $3.9 million were successful, leaving a shortfall of $45 million, including 89 applications totalling $26 million that were not funded, despite meeting the grant criteria.
Recent reviews have highlighted the need to ensure Local Government emergency management activities are appropriately funded:
- The 2017 ERA review of the ESL called for increased transparency and accountability in how it is administered and distributed.
- The Office of the Auditor General’s 2022 Performance Audit on the Funding of Volunteer Emergency and Fire Services recommended that DFES work with Local Governments to adopt a Statewide strategic approach to Grants Scheme funding, based on a thorough understanding of long-term operating and capital costs.
- Recommendation 11.1 of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements found that State and Territory Governments should take responsibility for the capability and capacity of Local Governments to which they have delegated their responsibilities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from natural disasters, to ensure Local Governments are able to effectively discharge the responsibilities devolved to them.
To inform the re-design of a strategic funding approach, objectives for the LGGS should be developed based on past experiences, current and future trends related to climate change and increasing bushfire risks, demographic changes, and financial and other resources.
A comprehensive asset management plan is also needed to ensure that funds from the LGGS are allocated efficiently and to better forecast the emergency response needs of communities over the next decade. An audit of buildings, facilities, appliances, vehicles and major items of equipment for Local Government VBFBs and the SES should be undertaken as a first step to inform the preparation of a Comprehensive Asset Management Plan.
Redesigning the LGGS should also remove the ineligible and eligible list.
Until these broader reforms are undertaken, the quantum of State Government funding needs to be increased to provide all resources necessary for the safe and efficient operation of Local Government VBFBs, in accordance with obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020. It is estimated that at least $45.5 million to clear the existing backlog of capital requests, and a further $2.8 million annual increase to the LGGS operating grant budget is required.
Expand Mitigation Works in areas of High Bushfire Risk
WA’s changing climate is making fire seasons longer, hotter and more dangerous. Fire suppression is becoming more difficult, making bushfire mitigation and management even more important to reduce the risk and increase the resilience of our communities and firefighters.
Under the State Hazard Plan – Fire, the Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner oversees bushfire risk prevention and mitigation, while property owners are responsible for fire prevention on their own land. Local Governments have a supporting role in preventing and mitigating bushfire risk.
The Mitigation Activity Fund (MAF) Program provides grants to Local Governments with an endorsed Bushfire Risk Mitigation Plan (BRMP) to assist with undertaking physical mitigation treatments on Crown land they manage. The program promotes an integrated approach to bushfire risk management across all land tenures, complementing efforts by the State Government and private property owners.
Since 2017-18, DFES has allocated approximately $53 million in mitigation funding to Local Governments, enabling over 6,800 mitigation treatments such as building fire breaks, reducing fuel loads, and conducting hazard reduction burns. However the MAF Program has not kept pace with:
- The increased number of Local Governments with a BRMP, which has more than doubled from 35 in 2019 to 83 in 2023, with 95 currently participating in the BRMP program, or
- The increasing complexity and cost of implementing critical bushfire mitigation treatments due to limited access to contractors and machinery, shorter weather windows, and multiple demands on BFB Volunteers’ time.
To address these challenges, funding for the MAF Program should be increased and the scope expanded to support activities that support physical mitigation works such as educating private property owners about risk and responsibility, building community resilience, developing and implementing BRMPs, and supporting the purchase of assets needed for mitigation works.
The cost of an expanded MAF Program covering all Local Governments with BRMPs is estimated to be $15 million per annum.
Firefighter, City of Swan
MORE COMMUNITY EMERGENCY SERVICE MANAGERS (CESMS)
How the West reaches its Best:
Expand the Community Emergency Services Manager Program to all Local Governments to bolster local emergency management capability across prevention, preparedness, response and recovery
Community Emergency Services Managers (CESMs) are an important resource which allows Local Governments to improve their ability to perform all-hazard preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery (PPRR) initiatives within their communities.
CESMs are particularly valuable to smaller regional Local Governments with responsibility for VBFBs that lack the financial resources to sustain a dedicated emergency management officer. CESMs bridge this gap by:
- Providing advice on Bush Fire Brigade operations.
- Providing advice on LGGS funding, as well as preparation of LGGS applications.
- Bridging the gap with relationships to other key agencies, in addition to DFES.
- Increasing bushfire awareness, potential mitigation and response measures amongst Local Government staff.
The CESM Program is partially funded by the ESL and includes 34 CESMs working across 57 Local Governments. Metropolitan CESMs are fully funded and employed by DFES, whereas country CESMs are employed by Local Governments under differing cost-sharing models with DFES. Not all Local Governments that manage VBFBs have a CESM and many other Local Governments have expressed keen interest in joining the Program.
The Office of the Auditor General’s 2022 Report into Funding of Volunteer Emergency and Fire Services found that in the absence of a CESM it might be challenging for some Local Government entities and volunteer groups to keep on top of their responsibilities, including the necessary administrative tasks and strategic planning.
The CESM Program should be expanded to ensure that all Local Governments that need a CESM can access one, and to address pay disparity amongst CESMs. This will require:
- Full funding from the State for existing Local Government-employed CESMs, estimated at an additional $2.7 million annually.
- Incremental expansion of the program, consisting of:
– The creation of 27 positions to serve the remaining 54 Local Governments managing VBFBs, estimated at $5.4 million annually.
– The establishment of 13 additional positions to comprehensively address PPRR responsibilities for the remaining 26 Local Governments, at an estimated cost of $2.6 million annually.
Once these changes have been made, the anticipated annual expenditure for the CESM Program is approximately $14.9 million per annum. This should be funded from ESL revenue.
EFFECTIVE LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
How the West reaches its Best:
Implement the Local Emergency Management Arrangements (LEMA) Improvement Plan to enhance the effectiveness and resilience of emergency management at the local level
- Replace the All West Australians Reducing Emergencies competitive Grants Program with an enhanced funding program to better support Local Government emergency management efforts
Under the Emergency Management Act 2005, WA Local Governments must develop and maintain Local Emergency Management Arrangements (LEMA). However, many Local Governments, particularly smaller ones and those in remote areas, lack the capacity to effectively maintain their LEMA.
A comprehensive 2022 review of LEMA by WALGA and DFES, which included feedback from 100 Local Governments and State Hazard Management Agencies, highlights the urgent need for reform and ongoing support for Local Governments in emergency preparedness and response.
The State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC) has endorsed a five-year implementation plan for LEMA reform, but it is currently unfunded.
Implementing these improvements is a priority that supports SEMC’s 2022 to 2025 goal of enhancing community resilience through strong local emergency management. A minimum of $1 million per annum will be required over five years to implement this plan.
Local Governments require additional funding to assist with emergency planning and preparedness. However, the only available funding stream is the All West Australians Reducing Emergencies (AWARE) competitive Grant Program, which does not meet this need. The funding for the AWARE Program has not changed since 2014 and has restrictive application criteria and low project funding limits. Additionally, cash or in-kind contribution requirements are challenging for many Local Governments to meet.
AWARE should be replaced with a more robust, sustainable program that better supports Local Government emergency management capabilities. This enhanced program should:
- Broaden the scope of activities eligible for funding to include comprehensive emergency preparedness, response, and recovery initiatives.
- Raise funding caps to ensure that Local Governments have sufficient resources to effectively manage emergencies based on their specific risks and needs.
- Provide flexibility for Local Governments to allocate resources according to their capacity, risk profile, and community-specific emergency management priorities.
A minimum investment of $9 million per annum should be made available for this new program.
Other States recognise the importance of supporting Local Governments in emergency management. For instance, Victoria allocates $4.9 million annually to a similar Local Government emergency management planning system, with funding levels ranging from $40,000 to $120,000 per year based on each Council’s capacity and risk profile.
ADDRESS GAPS IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS COVERAGE AND RESILIENCE
How the West reaches its Best:
- Continue to co-invest with the Australian Government and Industry in strategic opportunities to maximise federal and industry investments to improve telecommunications in WA
Every community in WA should have access to affordable, reliable telecommunications services to ensure their safety, connectivity, and economic participation.
Reliable telecommunications are critically important, especially during emergencies. Telecommunications provide an essential lifeline during extreme weather events like storms, cyclones, bushfires, and floods. However, the reliability of these services is dependent on electricity supplies, which are vulnerable in these situations.
Mobile telecommunications carriers frequently highlight their extensive coverage, claiming to serve over 99% of Australia’s population. Yet, coverage maps reveal that vast areas of WA remain without coverage, even those near significant population centres and along major roads.
To better understand these gaps, the Australian Government has committed $20 million to undertake an independent audit. Early findings from this initiative have uncovered numerous areas lacking essential mobile services. Completing this audit and publishing its findings is crucial.
A comprehensive understanding of where these shortfalls exist will allow for targeted solutions to be identified and implemented.
However, developing effective solutions for difficult-to-service areas is becoming increasingly challenging. Telecommunications carriers have shifted their business models, outsourcing infrastructure ownership to third parties.
With rapid advancements in communications technology, such as Low Earth Orbit Satellites, the State’s Digital Inclusion Strategy should be reviewed to consider where these technological advancements present an important opportunity to overcome existing challenges and identify innovative solutions to enhance coverage and ensure that all Western Australians have access to reliable mobile telecommunications wherever they live or work.
Telecommunications is primarily the responsibility of the Australian Government, which has shown a commitment to co-investing with carriers and State Governments through a number of different programs including:
- Mobile Black Spot Program.
- Peri-urban Mobile Program.
- Telecommunications Disaster Resilience Innovation Program.
- Mobile Network Hardening Program.
- Regional Connectivity Program.
While these programs are making a difference in addressing coverage gaps, further investment is required. The State Government needs to build on significant investment over the past decade to set a strategy that includes the opportunities offered by new technologies, and will ensure all West Australians can reliably participate in the digital economy.
STATE GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR THE UNDERGROUND POWER PROGRAM
How the West reaches its Best:
- Provide financial support to households in low income areas and seniors to assist with the cost of connecting individual properties to the new underground power network to ensure equitable access
Western Power is working in partnership with local communities to create a stronger, underground power network in urban areas.
Replacing old overhead power lines with underground lines is best performed when the old equipment needs to be replaced. The State Government has promised $3.4 million to help Western Power bring underground power to lower socio-economic areas. However, this funding doesn’t cover the cost of connecting individual properties to the new underground network. This is a significant part of the total cost for those property owners that do not currently have an underground connection.
As construction costs in WA keep rising, it’s becoming harder for communities to afford these projects. If the opportunity is lost, Western Power will have to replace old poles and wires with new ones above ground, leaving these areas with less reliable and outdated technology for the life of the new assets — more than 50 years.
Many households are under significant pressure from rising costs of living, including increasing interest rates. While financial help is available for some on fixed incomes there are many finding they are unable to meet the costs. The State Government offers support to people with Pension Concession Cards and State Concession Cards. There’s also some help for those with both a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and a WA Seniors Card.
To ensure these projects proceed, we need more financial support to include property connection costs, especially for those with low incomes. This way, we can ensure that we don’t miss the chance to transform the power distribution network to be fit for future needs, including electrification of households in optimising use of distributed energy resources.
IF WE MISS THE CHANCE TO REPLACE OVERHEAD POWER LINES, WITH UNDERGROUND LINES COMMUNITIES WILL BE LEFT WITH OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY FOR 5O YEARS
