The State Fire Commission’s primary purpose is to minimise the social, economic and environmental impact of fire and other emergencies on the Tasmanian community. This is achieved through implementing strategies for the Tasmania Fire Service that develop resilience to prevent and prepare for emergencies.
The Commission is also responsible for:
· road crash rescue (in Hobart, Launceston, Burnie, Devonport and surrounding areas);
· managing incidents involving hazardous materials;
· providing an Urban Search and Rescue capability to manage the rescue of people from collapsed buildings and structures; and
· providing a rescue/mitigation response to terrorist incidents involving chemical, biological and radiological agents.
A Fuel Reduction Unit has been established within the Tasmania Fire Service which has a key role in coordinating the implementation of the Fuel Reduction Program across the whole‑of‑government.
The State Fire Commission reports to the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management, Hon Michael Ferguson MP, and the supporting agency is the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management. The Commission delivers all of its services through its operational arm, the Tasmania Fire Service.
This chapter provides the State Fire Commission’s financial information for 2018‑19 and over the Forward Estimates period (2019‑20 to 2021‑22). Further information on the Commission can be found at www.fire.tas.gov.au.
Table 25.1 provides a summary of the Budget and Forward Estimate allocations for key deliverables by the Commission.
Table 25.1: Key Deliverables Statement
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2018‑19 |
2019‑20 |
2020‑21 |
2021‑22 |
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Budget |
Forward Estimate |
Forward Estimate |
Forward Estimate |
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$'000 |
$'000 |
$'000 |
$'000 |
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Election Commitments |
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Remote Area Teams |
100 |
115 |
160 |
160 |
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Supporting our Emergency Services Volunteers |
500 |
500 |
500 |
500 |
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Other Initiatives |
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Fire Fighting Appliance Replacement Program1 |
2 225 |
3 250 |
3 250 |
3 625 |
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Fire Station Build Program |
400 |
800 |
800 |
800 |
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Fuel Reduction Program |
9 000 |
9 000 |
9 000 |
9 000 |
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State Fire Management Council |
758 |
773 |
788 |
803 |
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Note:
1. Funding includes Aerial Replacement Program that was previously reported separately in 2017-18.
The Government will develop, sustain and grow Remote Area Teams capacity from suitable volunteer fire fighters around the State. Selected volunteers will undergo helicopter insertion training and gain fire fighting skills in this specialised field. The training will be undertaken by the Tasmania Fire Service and will fill the identified need for more firefighters with these skills. This will provide an exciting career path for those volunteers with good physical fitness levels. This initiative is funded by an allocation totalling $535 000 over the next four years.
The Government will provide the State Fire Commission with $2 million over the next four years to allow all Volunteer Units from the Tasmania Fire Service and State Emergency Service to apply for upgrades to equipment.
The Volunteer Units, in association with the Tasmania Fire Service and State Emergency Service, will determine what equipment will be purchased with these funds.
The Commission is committed to providing its fire fighters with safe and operationally effective fire appliances, allocated using a ‘fitness for purpose’ rationale. Each appliance category has an established, defined role and functionality, with a specific scope of application which is considered in the process of allocation to brigades and matched to risk. The Commission has endorsed a sustainable replacement program that will ensure that all fire appliances remain viable for operation in a safe and effective manner.
Over a four year period $12.4 million will fund the Fire Fighting Appliance Replacement Program, which will see the internal fabrication of medium tankers, and the purchase of heavy pumpers and aerial appliances.
Total funding of $2.8 million has been allocated over four years, from 2018‑19, for capital upgrades to Commission facilities which will include a combination of replacement and refurbishment of fire stations. One of the key outcomes of the program will be further reducing the exposure to diesel, particularly through better station design. This will include the separation of fire fighters’ personal protective clothing from firefighting appliance diesel exhaust. This separation provides the added benefit of further eliminating any exposure to the possibility of residual contaminants in protective clothing used in firefighting.
The Government has provided significant forward funding for the whole‑of‑government Fuel Reduction Program, to reduce bushfire risk to Tasmanian communities. The Fuel Reduction Unit established within the Tasmania Fire Service, has a key role in coordinating the implementation of the program across the whole‑of‑government.
The Government has provided funding of $9 million per annum from 2017‑18 to ensure the continuation of the Fuel Reduction Program and an increase in strategic fuel reduction burning across the State. As part of this program, $500 000 per annum is directed to fuel reduction in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area through the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment.
The Fuel Reduction Program utilises the resources of the Tasmania Fire Service, the Parks and Wildlife Service, Sustainable Timber Tasmania and local councils to mitigate bushfire risk in a strategic, systematic way in urban, semi‑rural and some wilderness areas. Strategically reducing risk in the areas that provide the most protection to communities is the priority. Therefore, areas of both private and public land are included - a ‘tenure‑blind’ approach.
The Government’s Fuel Reduction Program takes a strategic approach, and whilst other fuel treatments can and will be employed (for example mechanical removal), planned burning remains the most cost effective tool available for managing vegetation fuel loads at the scale that is currently required.
The State Fire Management Council is an independently chaired body established under section 14 of the Fire Service Act 1979. The SFMC has the following functions:
· to develop a state vegetation fire management policy to be used as the basis for all fire management planning;
· to advise and report regularly to the Minister on such matters relating to the administration of the Fire Service Act, as it applies to vegetation fire management;
· to provide advice to the State Fire Commission on matters relating to the prevention and mitigation of vegetation fires; and
· to oversee and support Fire Management Area Committees who develop Fire Protection Plans that identify, assess and prioritise mitigation activities for community bushfire risks in Fire Management Areas.
The SFMC approves Fire Protection Plans developed by the FMACs. These plans play a key role in the prioritisation of mitigation strategies to reduce bushfire risk across the landscape and, in particular, support the Government’s ‘tenure‑blind’ strategic Fuel Reduction Program.
The SFMC operates using a Strategic Direction Framework with a focus on communicating and managing bushfire risk, fostering and maintaining effective relationships, and building community capacity.
The Commission provides the necessary bushfire planning and risk assessment expertise, and executive and administrative support to both the SFMC and FMACs.
Table 25.2: Statement of Comprehensive Income1
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Notes:
1. Authority estimates do not include the indexation impact of any variations to Authority expenditure that have been made since the finalisation of the Revised Estimates Report 2017-18 (including December Quarterly Report). For further information see chapter 1 of this Budget Paper.
2. The decrease in Grants from 2018‑19 reflects the cessation of both one‑off funding for Aerial Fire Appliances provided in 2017‑18 and additional funding for the transition of the State Emergency Service to the Tasmania Fire Service.
3. The variation in Employee benefits, Supplies and consumables and Other expenses in 2018-19 reflects a review of the Authority’s Budget estimates and a resulting reallocation between expenditure items.
4. The decrease in Borrowing costs reflects a reduction in interest payments as loans are repaid.
Table 25.3: Statement of Financial Position as at 30 June
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Notes:
1. The increase in Cash and deposits in 2019 reflects the financial management and debt reduction strategies implemented by the State Fire Commission.
2. The decrease in Receivables and Other financial assets in 2019 reflects a more accurate estimate based on the 30 June 2017 outcome and primarily relates to a decrease in accrued revenue.
3. The increase in Property, plant and equipment in 2019 reflects a more accurate estimate based on the 30 June 2017 outcome which included a revaluation of land and buildings, and capital investment initiatives in accordance with the State Fire Commission’s Corporate Plan.
4. The decrease in Interest bearing liabilities reflects debt reduction strategies implemented by the State Fire Commission.
5. The decrease in Superannuation reflects a more accurate estimate based on the 30 June 2017 outcome.
Table 25.4: Statement of Cash Flows
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Notes:
1. The decrease in Grants from 2018‑19 reflects the cessation of both one‑off funding for Aerial Fire Appliances provided in 2017‑18 and additional funding for the transition of the State Emergency Service to the Tasmania Fire Service.
2. The variation in Employee benefits, Superannuation, Supplies and consumables and Other cash payments in 2018-19 reflects a review by the State Fire Commission of the Authority’s Budget estimates and a resulting reallocation between expenditure reporting items.
3. The decrease in Borrowing costs reflects a reduction in interest payments as loans are repaid.
4. The variation in Payments for acquisition of non‑financial assets reflects capital investment initiatives in accordance with the State Fire Commission’s Corporate Plan.
5. The variation in Net borrowings reflects debt reduction strategies implemented by the State Fire Commission.