After a prolonged debate over the future over the state’s rural fire service status, both sides have found common ground at the recent Bushfire Mitigation Summit held in Mandurah.
Fire and Emergency Services minister Fran Logan expressed gratitude to everyone who attended the summit – 60 stakeholders from various departments and organisations, including the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), the Association of Volunteer Bushfire Brigades (AVBFB) as well as landowners, pastoralists, local government, commercial enterprises and advocacy groups.
The primary aim of the summit was to find consensus on the future of rural fire and emergency services in the region, particularly in the wake of recent bushfires in areas such as Yarloop and Northcliffe.
Mr Logan said a wide range of ideas and issues were discussed, but the common theme was a desire to work together to reach the best possible outcomes to protect communities from bushfires.
"I would like to thank once more those people who took the time to share their valuable insights and knowledge with the McGowan Labor Government,” he said.
"Getting those people in the same room, many for the first time, to be able to sit down and really go through the issues was invaluable.”
AVBFB president Dave Gossage, who had previously been critical of the previous state government’s handling and support of rural and volunteer fire services, said the day had been productive and useful in the process of repairing many of the important relationships that had been severaly damaged during the term of the last government.
“We have a long way to go, but today’s summit was definitely a step in the right direction,” Mr Gossage said.
“The Minister made it very clear at the outset that he was new in the role and willing to listen and learn – which we are very pleased to say is exactly what he appeared to do.”
Mr Gossage said representatives from parliament, other emergency services, unions, farmers and industry were divided among nine tables that individually workshopped each agenda item and then reported back to the whole room.
He also said the association was pleased with the outcome of the most controversial discussion topic of the day – that of Premier McGowan’s pre-election promise to create a dedicated Rural Fire Service.
“It was great to hear that the overwhelming majority of tables understood the vastly different cultures and skill sets between the volunteer bush fire service and the urban fire and rescue employees,” Mr Gossage said.
“While there was some division between whether or not the Rural Fire Service should be fully independent or a department of DFES, there is no question the vast majority agreed that a Rural Fire Service is the only way forward.”
Much of the summit was spent debating the best way for the so-far disparate organisations to move forward, particularly with the financial debt the state government must contend with.
“Everyone understands the difficult financial position the government has inherited,” Mr Gossage said.
However, many of today’s contributors were confident we could find a way to honour the commitment and create a much-needed specialist Rural Fire Service without a great impost on the state’s recovering economy.”
"The summit also demonstrated how complex the task is with many of the issues falling under a range of government portfolios including local government, environment, regional development, planning, lands and police,” Mr Logan said.
"I also asked the attendees to consider how a rural fire service could operate, and be funded, and there were a variety of options put forward, which the whole of government will now consider along with the other issues and ideas raised."
