Ministerial Correspondence:

Following correspondence between the AAVFBA and the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP (see previous Board communiqué), the AAVFBA provided comments to the National Transport Commission on its proposed National Heavy Vehicle regulations in early May, noting the proposed regulations includes a partial exemption for emergency services from driver fatigue requirements, namely work/rest requirements and associated record keeping when travelling to and during an emergency. The AAVFBA sought a total exemption from these requirements to cover also travelling from emergencies as well as for training and maintenance, noting that some jurisdictions already have such exemptions, reflecting the regional, rural and remote environments in which volunteer fire brigades exist.

On 22 May, the AAVFBA wrote to Senator the Hon Chris Evans, the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations and Mr Rex Hoy, the CEO of Safe Work Australia supporting AFAC’s concerns over proposed national Work Health and Safety regulations. On 20 Jun, Mr Hoy replied advising that the proposed regulations will not require any recording of risk assessments, except in relation to a small number of high risk activities, eg diving work, live electrical work and work in confined spaces. He further mentioned that the current review of the proposed regulations would ensure that they would not impede emergency response activities, while taking into account the need to protect the health and safety of emergency services workers, including volunteers. Further, Sen Chris Evans responded on 24 Jun, advising the proposed laws recognise the valuable work that volunteers do and are not intended to be an impediment to the work of any volunteer authority. He further stated that the laws acknowledge that emergency services are called upon to make strategic operational decisions and assessments of risk on the spot and on the basis of incomplete and inaccurate information, but that volunteers will continue to behave “as far as reasonably practicable” in both addressing risks and taking care of themselves and others in emergency situations.

AAVFBA On 20 June, Mr Mat Tinkler, the Chief of Staff of the Assistant Treasurer, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, advised that our submission to restore/extend Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) and Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) status to volunteer fire brigade associations at the state/territory and national level has been rejected.

Strategic Consultation:

In late June, the AAVFBA and AFAC reconfirmed their commitment to their 2007 Memorandum of Understanding to support the work of volunteer firefighters.

New Member

In May, the Tasmanian Volunteer Fire Brigades Association affiliated with the AAVFBA.

Ministerial Correspondence:

The Attorney General, the Hon Robert McClelland MP, responded to our letter seeking greater liability protection for volunteers, reaffirming that protection from liability is in place to protect volunteers acting in good faith who are fulfilling their function, and placing a high value on the safety and well being of all volunteers. Establishing model language from existing legislation across states and territories on the protection from liability is now the next step in addressing this issue.

In addition, the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, responded to our letter on road safety issues advising that new national laws currently drafted will include exemption provisions from driver fatigue restrictions for emergency management personnel operating in emergency situations. Comments on these draft laws are currently being sought from members.

We are also awaiting a response from the Assistant Treasurer on our letter seeking the restoration/extension of Public Benevolent Institution and Deductible Gift Recipient status to volunteer fire brigade associations.

Strategic Consultation:

We are participating in the Emergency Management Volunteer Research Project conducted by the Australian Emergency Management Volunteers Forum and funded by the Attorney Generals Department (AGD), in establishing a comprehensive list of all publications and papers on volunteering in Australia. This Project should be complete by June 2011. As well, we have sought funds from the National Emergency Management Project, managed by the AGD, to enhance human resource systems used by members.

Finally, comments were provided on the Treasury Scoping Study for a New Not-for-Profit Regulator arguing against any unnecessary administrative burden in proposed new legislation.

New Member

The Tasmanian Volunteer Fire Brigades Association has expressed its intent to affiliate with the AAVFBA.

The following is a report on Board activities since the Assembly Conference held in Darwin on September 11.

AAVFBA Business Planning Workshop:

As directed by the Assembly, a business planning workshop was conducted in Sydney on 13 November 2010 to establish the AAVFBA Strategic Plan 2010 - 2015. Representatives from all member associations, including the UFBANZ, participated, and the Plan has been subsequently adopted. It was agreed that the Plan be posted on the website and that quarterly reports on its achievement be also posted.

Meeting with Federal Attorney General:

A meeting with the Attorney General, the Hon Robert McClelland, was conducted in Canberra on November 30 in Canberra, following on from the previous meeting in Sydney on December 9, 2009. At the meeting, the Government's recent amendments to tax legislation extending or restoring access to tax deductible donations to all volunteer fire brigades was applauded, noting that the AAVFBA had lobbied extensively for such a change over the past year. Following discussion, the AAVFBA was invited to submit to the Assistant Treasurer a proposal to grant Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) and Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status to volunteer fire services and to volunteer fire brigade associations at the national and state level.

In addition, arising from the discussion were three other actions to be undertaken, namely submissions to the Federal Government: to restore paid leave to public sector employees for emergency fire service under the National Employment Standards within the Fair Work Australia Act; to rationalise liability protection across states and territories to optimise protection to volunteer fire fighters; and to review a number of road safety issues related to volunteer fire fighting, eg driver fatigue, speed reduction etc, to optimise best practice across states and territories wherever practicable.

Other issues:

A new Board has been established following the recent annual general meeting and a special general meeting. Previous office holders of the Board have been written to thanking them for their assistance to the Assembly. The Assembly website has also been updated with this information.

Conference 2011:

The next Assembly Conference to be held in Sydney in late August in conjunction with the planned AFAC Conference.

If you have any comments or questions as a result of this communiqué, please do not hesitate to contact any of the Board members or Russell Cook: mob 0413108823