Debate resumed from an earlier hour.

Mr RAY WILLIAMS (Hawkesbury) [4.31 p.m.]: I note that the object of the State Emergency Service Amendment (Volunteer Consultative Council) Bill 2010 is to amend the State Emergency Service Act 1989 to establish a volunteer joint consultative council. The reason for that is to acknowledge the importance of State Emergency Service [SES] volunteers, who are vital to the evolution and development of that service in the future. I am very fortunate to have the Wilberforce State Emergency Service in my backyard, in the electorate of Hawkesbury. They do an outstanding job. Last year the Hawkesbury State Emergency Service crews chalked up an amazing 1,259 hours of service to the community, the equivalent of almost four hours a day.

Statistics from the crew's Wilberforce headquarters reveal that in 2009 Hawkesbury SES teams were called out to 152 tasks, more than a third of which were motor vehicle accidents. Hawkesbury SES is one of the rare services that attend motor vehicle accidents across the State. We are very fortunate to have those volunteers and the service that they provide on behalf of the community. They comprise an amazing team of dedicated and highly trained rescue volunteers. As I said earlier, it is the only unit in the greater metropolitan area that attends road crashes, obviously making it one of the busiest units in New South Wales.

Of the 57 motor vehicle crases that the Hawkesbury SES attended, crews were required to cut drivers or passengers out of vehicles on 27 occasions. I note that Hawkesbury SES undertakes to put on displays at the Hawkesbury Show every year to demonstrate how effective it is in cutting people out of road crash vehicles. The service demonstrates its skills by working on a smashed-up vehicle, and that attracts great crowds. I witnessed that a few weeks ago. The service also had on display, amongst other things, some of its boats that it uses on the river and its vital equipment needed to provide services in times of emergency.

Kevin Jones is the Hawkesbury State Emergency Service local control officer. He said that the volunteers do their best to get the greatest possible outcome for victims at accidents. Kevin has often said that he assesses the scene, checking for dangers to the SES officers and others prior to gaining access to persons and extricating them from the vehicles. Obviously they do that in conjunction with the Ambulance Service of New South Wales.

On 29 November 2008 I had the great privilege of attending the Wilberforce State Emergency Service awards ceremony, held at the headquarters at Wilberforce. The ceremony was to recognise members of the Hawkesbury SES for their long service and also their service in the floods on the June 2007 long weekend, which affected many members of the community, especially in the St Albans area and Lower Macdonald, when the Lower Macdonald River flooded. Greg Slater, Deputy Director General, New South Wales State Emergency Service, presented an honorary life membership to Jack DeVries in recognition of his 21 years service to the community through the SES. Jack joined the SES on 3 September 1986 and has been a member of the Hawkesbury SES Road Crash Rescue Team for most of that time. Jack has now retired and is enjoying retirement with his lovely wife. He certainly will be missed by his peers in the SES and the members of the community that he has served for so long.

The State Emergency Service long service medals were presented to Phil Neich, who has dedicated 20 years of service to the SES; Eric Groom, for 25 years service; Ron Van Es for 30 years service; and Kevin Jones, the SES unit controller, who has dedicated an amazing 35 years service. The Newcastle storm medals were presented to Malcolm Brierley, Michael Broome, Tegan Cohen, Jack DeVries, Eric Groom, Janne Hardy, Anthony Hatch, Janine Robinson, Matthew Thornton and Ron Van Es. Most members of the unit have contributed on both the Central Coast and in the Macdonald River area, which flooded in the same storm. During the storm event there was significant damage to homes in the Macdonald Valley area, which required many days of service from the local SES members.

It is worthwhile pointing out that those members and all members of the SES are volunteers. I always like to stress that point, because when we switch on our televisions at night and see that there has been a devastating accident or incident, we see those professional people in their orange overalls as they undertake that amazing job. The perception in the community is that because of their professionalism they are paid; of course, the opposite is true—they are not paid, they are volunteers, as are the wonderful volunteers in the Rural Fire Service, who do an equally good job. I support the State Emergency Service and this amending bill. We should acknowledge those volunteers, they deserve our encouragement, our support and our commendation.

Ms NOREEN HAY (Wollongong—Parliamentary Secretary) [4.37 p.m.]: I support the State Emergency Service (Volunteer Consultative Council) Amendment Bill 2010. The bill will amend the State Emergency Service Act 1989 to establish the SES Joint Consultative Council. As the Minister has outlined, the establishment of the council will provide the State Emergency Service [SES] volunteers with a formal means to help guide the future of their organisation. I know the passion felt by the volunteers of the SES in serving their communities during times of crisis. I assure the House that they are equally passionate about the service itself.

In its early days, the SES, or the State Emergency Services and Civil Defence as it was then known, was comprised almost completely of volunteers, with just a handful of paid staff. Even as recently as a decade ago, region controllers of the service's 17 regions were all volunteers. As well as managing operational responses, they also worked with a commitment to write flood and other emergency plans for their communities and were responsible for training, equipment and accommodation.

This selfless dedication is still much in evidence today, with the service's volunteers giving up significant amounts of their free time to train and taking time off work and leaving family behind to respond when the community needs their help. Remarkably, there are still a handful of volunteers who have been members of the service throughout its full 55-year history. Thousands of others have reached impressive milestones, clocking up decades of continuous and dedicated service.

I have often heard the SES described as the Swiss army knife of the emergency services, such are its members' diverse skills. As well as responding to a variety of emergencies, including floods, storms and tsunamis, SES volunteers are integrally involved in emergency planning, training, equipment, building assessment and design, and the myriad administrative processes needed to keep an organisation of this size running. Given this spread of experience, input and skill, the members are uniquely placed to provide insight into the service and its operation and solutions to problems, helping create greater operational efficiencies, improved training and better community engagement.

The volunteers' desire to play a role in creating a better service was amply demonstrated by the establishment in 1998 of the SES Volunteers Association. From its inception the association has been all about the volunteers. The State Council meets quarterly in various parts of the State as a forum for members, whose views can be discussed and acted upon or passed on to service management. The association has played an important role in the creation of the joint consultative council, working closely with the Government to ensure that the new body will provide a meaningful channel through which volunteers can be consulted and their views considered as part of the service's decision-making processes.

On behalf of the Wollongong electorate I have been lobbying for more skill development for staff and volunteers. I would also like to see more jobs based in the Wollongong area and I am regularly in the Minister's ear to try to obtain that. I congratulate all the SES volunteers on their work to assist and protect the community during times of disaster. I particularly mention the Wollongong SES because it does such a fantastic job. Its volunteers are fine upstanding members of our community. We would be at a serious disadvantage without their commitment.

I place on record my personal view that they are the best in the State. Members may think I claim Wollongong to have the best in the State on many occasions but that is because I am very proud of the work people do, particularly the SES volunteers. The bill, by establishing the Joint Consultative Council, recognises their efforts and provides them with a clear voice in the management of their organisation. I take this opportunity to thank the Minister for listening to my concerns and for allowing me to lobby him on such a regular basis. I remind him that more staff and jobs in Wollongong would be appreciated if that can be achieved. I commend the bill to the House.

Mr JONATHAN O'DEA (Davidson) [4.43 p.m.]: As an emergency and rescue service dedicated to assisting the community, the New South Wales State Emergency Service is made up almost entirely of volunteers with 226 units located throughout the State. They comprise 10,000 volunteer members who are easily identified by their distinctive orange overalls. The bill aims to provide SES volunteers with greater input into decisions made on their behalf by the commissioner and his paid staff, and is supported by the New South Wales State Emergency Service Volunteer Association. We do not oppose the State Emergency Service Amendment (Volunteer Consultative Council) Bill.

I add my commendations, congratulations and thanks to those of previous speakers for the wonderful work the SES undertakes on behalf of the community. Along with the member for Pittwater I was privileged to attend the launch last Saturday of the Warringah Pittwater Unit SES headquarters, which have been extended. It is a truly magnificent facility for the authority and to the extent that the Government has been part of that we thank them. I also acknowledge the contributions made by the Warringah and Pittwater councils and the local community in reaching that outcome. The function was attended by the Commissioner, Murray Kear, and local controller Wayne Lyne, both of whom spoke very well, as did other dignitaries. It was a well-attended function. The Minister's apologies were noted.

I will make one or two comments about potential concerns with the bill. I note that the member for Lane Cove articulated one of them, which was that in addition to setting up a forum it must be ensured that it is a meaningful forum with true engagement, active listening and resultant action. The member for Lane Cove spoke to that point and indeed the member for Blue Mountains highlighted it in reminding us that we have two ears and one mouth.

A further concern that I would like the Minister to comment on is the composition of the council. Yesterday in debate on the Carers (Recognition) Bill an amendment was accepted that led to a majority of carers being placed on an advisory committee. I see a parallel with that in this bill. While we do not oppose the bill, we seek comment from the Minister on the governance perspective of why there should not be a majority of representatives of volunteers on the council. Having sat on boards myself in the past I find it somewhat unusual that the council, which is charged with advising and reporting to the commissioner, is in fact chaired by the commissioner himself.

That is no reflection on the commissioner, but it warrants comment from a governance perspective as to why the commissioner, who is to be advised by and reported to by the council and is meant to listen to matters relevant to volunteers, not only chairs the committee but sits on it with three members of staff of the SES appointed by the Minister on the commissioner's recommendation and together they make up the majority of four. There are three other members including the President of the New South Wales State Emergency Service Volunteers Association and two persons also appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the volunteers association. While we do not oppose the bill, and I certainly lend my support to the comments made about the SES, I ask the Minister to comment on that aspect.

Mr GEOFF PROVEST (Tweed) [4.47 p.m.]: I will make a brief contribution to what I believe is a very important bill, the State Emergency Service Amendment (Volunteer Consultative Council) Bill 2010. The purpose of the bill is to amend the State Emergency Service Act 1989 to establish the State Emergency Service Volunteer Joint Consultative Council. The council will consist of seven members: the SES Commissioner, who will chair it; three members of staff of the SES appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the commissioner; the President of the New South Wales State Emergency Service Volunteers Association; and two people appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the association, one of whom is a volunteer officer who is deputy to a region controller and is a local controller or a unit controller. The council will advise and report to the commissioner on matters relevant to the volunteer members of the SES.

I am very deeply committed to the SES. It is a fine body of men and women, particularly in the Tweed region, where they often put their lives at risk for the good of the community. This is pretty personal to me because my son Patrick Provest, who is 29, was one of a number of SES officers who were injured last May close to midnight when the floodboats they were in were nearly swept out to sea from the Tweed River during a substantial flood. At that time I was pleased to receive a call from Premier Nathan Rees inquiring about my son's wellbeing.

Tracey Provest, my sister-in-law, is the principal of Ulladulla High School and for a number of years has been one of the regional controllers in Ulladulla. I am aware at all times of the work that SES members do. During times of emergency when I attended SES briefings I was impressed with their professionalism and commitment to the community, the long hours that they work and the sacrifices that they and members of their families make. The budget papers state that the number of SES staff will be increased—from 133 in 2005 to 178 this financial year—in line with the general professionalism of other emergency volunteer agencies that has developed over the past decade.

Volunteers have said that they no longer have a voice in the organisation. This bill will attempt to provide volunteers with greater input into decisions that are made on their behalf by the commissioner and by his paid staff. After having been involved with other committees and organisations I express a number of concerns. Before becoming a member of Parliament I was on the Tweed hospital quality consultative committee, which was established to provide feedback to the local community about the provision of health services. After about 18 months that committee was disbanded because committee members were concerned about the limited provision of feedback, even after they had spent a lot of time putting forward suggestions and ideas.

When the Minister replies to debate on this bill I hope he provides us with information relating to the mechanisms that will be implemented by the consultative council so that it has real merit and does not become a toothless tiger. The views of rank and file members and people on the front line should be heard. I am led to believe that before the end of the month the Minister will visit the Tweed. I am happy to entertain the Minister, to show him and his staff around the Tweed, and to welcome him back to the Tweed, which has a longstanding history of volunteers. The Minister has been supportive of volunteers in the provision of equipment and so on—a trend that I hope will continue.

The Liberal-Nationals Coalition does not oppose this bill. Charlie Moir, President of the New South Wales State Emergency Service Volunteers Association, considered a number of amendments to strengthen the role of the council and asked Opposition members to support the bill without amendments. However, I would like the Minister to give us some indication of the power that this council will have to ensure that the voices of our hardworking SES volunteers are heard. These issues must not go into the ether, which is what happened with other government committees. Once again I support SES volunteers, in particular, in the Tweed. I am sure they will continue to give 100 per cent to the Tweed.

Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [4.53 p.m.]: I speak in debate on the State Emergency Service Amendment (Volunteer Consultative Council) Bill 2010, the object of which is as follows:

... to establish the SES Volunteer Joint Consultative Council (the Consultative Council). The Consultative Council will advise and report to the Commissioner of the State Emergency Service (the Commissioner) on matters relevant to volunteer members of SES units. The Bill also makes provision in relation to the membership and procedure of the Consultative Council.

Every time members in this House are afforded an opportunity they thank and congratulate State Emergency Service [SES] volunteers. Today I pay tribute to SES volunteers in the Lismore electorate. The Richmond-Tweed Emergency Service is headed by Scott Hankel and is supported by Darren Winkler. I am sure that they join me in thanking every member of staff and all the volunteers for their contribution to efforts in the Northern Rivers area. This consultative council, which is a great win for volunteers, will address the needs and concerns of SES volunteers and highlight all the issues that they raise.

Volunteers provide many services in times of emergency. However, until now, no formal mechanism has been in place at senior SES levels for volunteer input. I am sure that the Minister would be disappointed if I did not say that this is consistent with Liberal-Nationals policy. Earlier this week we debated the Carers (Recognition) Bill 2010, which was supported by both Government and Opposition members. With the passage of that legislation, carers will be appointed to a similar council and will therefore be able to put forward their views. Those who are working in a specific area should be involved in the decision-making process. The member for Davidson said earlier that they will not have control over the final decisions, but they will have a direct input into the decision-making process.

If there is no ongoing commitment by this Government to support that consultative council it will become a toothless tiger, which will have unintended consequences for volunteers. I am sure that volunteers, members of the SES and the Minister will make it work. Last month I was astounded by the SES response statistics for March. In March the SES responded to the following emergencies: 36 flood responses; 541 storm responses; 27 community first responders; four flood rescues; 56 road crash rescues; 37 other rescues; 92 community emergencies; 33 searches; and 200 others—more than 1,000 emergencies in the month of March. Volunteers in 226 units throughout the State responded to these emergencies. I say to volunteers in this State: We recognise them and thank them for their efforts.

I refer to one issue that comes under the Minister's portfolio responsibilities. The Rural Fire Service is located in several regional areas. During times of flood we require the services of the SES but the community is not big enough to support two organisations. Could a better mechanism be put in place to provide similar resources in each community? Two years ago Tyalgum, which is located at the back of Murwillumbah, was flooded out. As it is miles from Murwillumbah, emergency service personnel were not able to get out there. The Rural Fire Service is located in that area but it did not have the necessary equipment to deal with floods. The Rural Fire Service wants to establish a State Emergency Service in that area but there are not enough volunteers to do so. Could any mechanism be put in place for communities such as that?

I am sure many more communities have a Rural Fire Service and/or a State Emergency Service. Some communities might have the reverse situation: a State Emergency Service ready to respond to floods but not able to attend fires. Could there be an opportunity for these services to cross over? I may be shot by some of my colleagues for making that suggestion. I would appreciate if that could be considered for smaller communities, some of which are isolated when a flood occurs close to a major regional city. Communities in my electorate would appreciate any consideration in that regard. This bill is a great win for volunteers and needs the support of this House. Every member who has contributed to this debate supports it. This bill provides volunteers with the opportunity to at least have a say at executive level, which is what the Libera Party and The Nationals have been saying for some time.

Mr WAYNE MERTON (Baulkham Hills) [5.00 p.m.]: I am pleased to support the State Emergency Service Amendment (Volunteer Consultative Council) Bill 2010. As a former Minister for Emergency Services, albeit some time ago in a previous Government, I took great pride and pleasure in dealing with State Emergency Service members. The State Emergency Service is a wonderful organisation that on some occasions performs almost a miraculous service for the people of New South Wales. Emergency services of this nature, such as the State Emergency Service and the Rural Fire Service, are institutions that would be the envy of any country. Cost saving is a relevant factor and we do not refer to emergency services in that sense, but the taxpayer would find it difficult to pay for these services.

Australians are all about being volunteers, looking after their mates and their community in times of crisis. Often it is said that only in times of crisis do Australians come to the front and show their true mettle. State Emergency Service volunteers are on call seven days a week, 24 hours a day; they have an enviable reputation. New South Wales has approximately 226 emergency service units with more than 10,000 volunteers easily identified by their distinctive orange overalls, which has proven to be a practical colour.

Whilst SES volunteers have major responsibilities in flood and storm operations, they also provide the majority of general rescue efforts in rural parts of the State. How often when driving in the country have we been flagged down by State Emergency Service volunteers to avoid an accident site while their colleagues are trying to rescue someone or retrieve someone who has run off the road? They always respond when called on, particularly in isolated communities. We live in a big, spacious land and have to deal with challenges of climate and distance. The State Emergency Service volunteers are always there to meet those challenges, whether they are caused by nature or are man-made, such as an accident. I suspect the volunteers thrive on beating those challenges, and that is a measure of their commitment.

It is true to say that the State Emergency Service has a great level of professionalism. This Government has recognised that some people in the community believe these volunteers no longer have a say in the organisation to the extent they had in the past. That will inevitably occur in voluntary organisations. This bill seeks to address that by setting up a volunteer consultative council. The principal aim of the new consultative body is to give front-line service volunteers a formal role in helping to guide the service's policies and processes. The new council will provide a formal forum for the volunteers to be consulted and for their views to be incorporated into the decision-making and management as the service continues to develop and expand. This council will give volunteers a voice in policy making. Whilst it could be said that volunteers have no control over that process, this council will provide the opportunity for them to make suggestions and provide input into the activities of the State Emergency Service.

The Coalition supports this type of legislation. It is essential that our hardworking, committed volunteers have a say in the operations to which many of them have dedicated themselves. The organisation should listen because they are at the front line; they will answer the call to respond to a bushfire at midnight or to rescue someone who has had an accident at 3 o'clock in the morning on a cold, rainy day. This service is an important part of the Australian psyche and culture. We must never overlook one important thing: they are volunteers by choice. Strictly speaking, they are not compelled to become involved; they do so by choice. It was said once that there is no person more zealous than a volunteer. The State Emergency Service exemplifies that statement.

The Opposition supports the establishment of this consultative council. Its seven members will comprise: the commissioner, three staff members of the State Emergency Service appointed on the recommendation of the commissioner, the President of the New South Wales State Emergency Service Volunteers Association Incorporated and two persons appointed on the recommendation of the association, with one being a volunteer officer who is a deputy to a region controller or is a local controller or unit controller. This bill is a great start. The Government has a responsibility to foster this relationship and increase volunteer involvement because without them there would be no organisation. Indeed, it is only fair and it makes common sense that the volunteers should have a meaningful say in the way the organisation operates. Without the commitment, loyalty and dedication of volunteers there would be no State Emergency Service. Long may the Government and any subsequent government remember that.

Mr ROB STOKES (Pittwater) [5.08 p.m.]: The State Emergency Service Amendment (Volunteer Consultative Council) Bill 2010 will establish an important consultative council. It is important to note that this bill will give State Emergency Service volunteers the opportunity through an organised council to provide advice to the Commissioner of the State Emergency Service on matters relevant to their role. State Emergency Service volunteers are supported by hardworking, paid professional staff, and low ratio of paid staff to volunteers is s testament to the efficiency of the organisation and the volunteers.

I note, as did my friend and colleague the member for Davidson, the opening on the weekend of the new Warringah Pittwater unit's headquarters. The Commissioner of the State Emergency Service, Murray Kear, made the effort to travel from Wollongong despite the event coinciding with his son's twenty-seventh birthday. It was wonderful that he took the opportunity to share a special occasion with approximately 80 volunteers of the Warringah Pittwater unit of the State Emergency Service. I know that the wonderful volunteers of that unit serve the second-largest population area of any unit in the State Emergency Service of New South Wales. They cover a large metropolitan area that encompasses two national parks and a population of approximately 200,000. That obviously creates an enormous workload for approximately 80 volunteers.

The topographical features of Warringah Pittwater that make the area a very desirable place to live—the bush, the beach and the waterways—also put the area at risk of flood-based emergencies, which is why it is so important to have a very active local State Emergency Service. From memory, the Warringah Pittwater area has seven floodplains. Given the topography of the area, the population tends to be centred on the floodplains so it is very important for the area to have a well-supported State Emergency Service. I commend the unit's controller, Wayne Lyne, for his wonderful advocacy that resulted in the unit obtaining a sizeable grant from the State Government, for which I also thank the Government.

I acknowledge the strong financial and other support of the Warringah and Pittwater councils in relation to the construction of the new headquarters. I thank the capital works planner for Warringah Council, Craig Sawyer, who has contributed a great deal of work to ensure that the State Emergency Service headquarters at Terrey Hills, which is shared by the Rural Fire Service and Marine Rescue New South Wales, is an integrated facility that serves our emergency services well.

Recently the unit controller of the Warringah Pittwater State Emergency Service, Wayne Lyne, was honoured by being the recipient of the Sydney North Volunteer of the Year Award. For 30 years Wayne has been an active volunteer with the State Emergency Service, which is an extraordinarily sustained commitment. He has been an active volunteer for more than half the history of the SES, which also is an amazing achievement. I express the gratitude of the community for the wonderful work that Wayne Lyne has done in leading the volunteers of the Warringah Pittwater unit of the State Emergency Service.

I reiterate the point that has been made by other members who have contributed to the debate, particularly the member for Davidson, relating to the composition of the council. Obviously it is extremely important to have a body that effectively communicates with volunteers in the State Emergency Service. Although the council will be constituted by four professional members and three volunteers, at some stage in the future it may be appropriate for volunteers to be the dominant voice on the council. That would be one way of ensuring that volunteers are not just heard, but really listened to.

Mr JOHN WILLIAMS (Murray-Darling) [5.13 p.m.]: My remarks on the State Emergency Service Amendment (Volunteer Consultative Council) Bill 2010 will be brief owing to time constraints. I certainly agree with every aspect of the bill. I acknowledge the importance of having a consultative council in effecting improvements in the professional operation of the State Emergency Service. The State Emergency Service unit in my electorate probably operates a little differently from units in other areas of the State. The situations that emerge in western areas of New South Wales, and to which members of the State Emergency Service respond, are somewhat different from those confronting volunteers in coastal units of the State Emergency Service.

It is extremely important to ensure that volunteers in western State Emergency Service units are given a voice within the organisation. They must have opportunities to make suggestions to ensure that the special conditions applying to remote areas, such as western New South Wales and some parts of the southern Riverina, are taken into consideration in planning and decision-making. In my view, the Volunteer Consultative Council is a step in the right direction. There is no doubt that some magnificent improvements can be made simply by listening to front-line people who provide not only sound advice in the best interests of the organisation but also meaningful suggestions and solutions.

The State Emergency Service is a very important organisation in my electorate. There is no doubt that when major road accidents occur, the local State Emergency Service unit plays a very important role. On many occasions, the presence of State Emergency Service personnel at the scene of accidents has saved lives. The ability of State Emergency Service personnel to deal with disastrous incidents has been the difference between life and death for many people. I congratulate the State Emergency Service on the great work it does and I look forward to improvements that will result from the establishment of the Volunteer Consultative Council.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD (Wakehurst) [5.16 p.m.]: As a former shadow Minister for Emergency Services, I will speak briefly in support of the State Emergency Service Amendment (Volunteer Consultative Council) Bill 2010. The State Emergency Service does an incredible job. There are approximately 226 units throughout the State and approximately 10,000 volunteers, which serves to remind us all of the incredible contribution the State Emergency Service makes during many difficult situations. As a former shadow Minister for Emergency Services, I have visited many units and witnessed firsthand the incredible work that is being done.

The situation that is emerging in the State Emergency Service is similar to the situation that exists in the Rural Fire Service: there is an increasing level of upper echelon professionalisation of the service. Consequently, there is a real risk of volunteers perhaps feeling somewhat remote from the decision-making process. While I recognise that in this day and age the right balance must be struck between professional senior management of volunteer emergency services, I also recognise that we are entirely dependent on the goodwill of volunteers and on their continued interest and involvement in the delivery of services that are required to support our community.

I unreservedly support the Opposition's position of not opposing legislation that will establish the Volunteer Consultative Council. However, I am concerned to ensure that the consultative council has a formal process by which its recommendations are addressed transparently by the commissioner and other members of the hierarchy of the State Emergency Service. I ask the Minister to indicate during his reply the measures he regards as being in place to ensure that recommendations made by the consultative council will be made public, when appropriate, but most importantly how he will ensure that they will be addressed, irrespective of whether they are made public.

It is crucial that some type of key performance indicators apply to the implementation of recommendations made by the Volunteer Consultative Council. If the council is to have any certainty about its role, it must have validation through a transparent and external process. Only in that way will the community and the 10,000 volunteers who are doing the work know with certainty that their consultative council has made recommendations and that the commissioner and senior management within the State Emergency Service have responded.

The Government's role is obvious. The Minister's role is to explain how the process will work. How this will have positive outcomes and feedback for the volunteers is crucial. If the consultative council makes recommendations that simply disappear into the ether and there is no formalised process of response we run the risk that it will do the precise opposite of what members want—that is, an energised, reinforced State Emergency Service that has confidence in the activities of the volunteers and that knows its volunteers are getting the support they need when they are doing the work the community needs.

Mr STEVE WHAN (Monaro—Minister for Primary Industries, Minister for Emergency Services, and Minister for Rural Affairs) [5.20 p.m.], in reply: I thank members on both sides of the House for their support of the State Emergency Service Amendment (Volunteer Consultative Council) Bill 2010 and for their positive comments about the wonderful work done by State Emergency Service [SES] units in our electorates. We are all grateful to them for what they do. I thank the members representing the electorates of Lane Cove, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Wollongong, Davidson, Tweed, Lismore, Baulkham Hills, Pittwater, Murray-Darling and Wakehurst for their contributions to the debate. I will respond to some of their questions in my reply. It has always been recognised by members that SES workers and volunteers go above and beyond the call of duty. The volunteers are one of the State's most valued assets. They are held in high esteem and affection by the community as they go about their work, often in the most difficult and challenging conditions, putting their motto, "The worst in nature, the best in us", into practice.

The work ethic, unwavering good spirit and dedication of the volunteers to community service are key to the strength and success of their service. In the time since I was appointed to the Emergency Services portfolio in January last year I have been consistently amazed and impressed by the commitment of SES volunteers. We live in what can sometimes be a fairly cynical world, and in politics perhaps we lose some of our faith in human nature at times. However, SES volunteers reinforce our faith in human nature whenever we see the work they do, because they are willing to give up their days—whether it is Christmas Day, Mother's Day or a special event for their family—to serve other people in the community. The views of SES volunteers are integral to the good management of the service.

As several members said, as the service became more professionally managed—I am not saying that it was ever not professionally managed—and employed more people to assist volunteers, there was always a concern that there would be a distance between volunteers and managers. When the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association representatives visited me to ask the Government to consider establishing a volunteer consultative council, I was happy to agree. Indeed, I worked with the association on the council structure. The structure of the council was openly discussed and agreed to at a meeting with the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association.

The Volunteer Consultative Council will give volunteers a formal seat at the table as the service plans its future, especially in terms of meeting challenges such as the impact of climate change and declining participation in volunteering across a community that is increasingly challenged for time for volunteer activities. The important role of the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association as a peak body for volunteers is recognised in this bill, which gives the association president and two other association nominees seats on the council, together with the service's commissioner and his three nominees. As an aside, this morning I had the pleasure of presenting the first Greg Slater Memorial Scholarships to two SES volunteers. The memorial scholarships were established in memory of Greg Slater, a former assistant commissioner of the SES who made a wonderful contribution to volunteer skill development and who is sadly missed since his death last year.

Two volunteers, Jennine Kingston from Hillston and Philip Snow from Parkes, received scholarships to assist them to develop their skills as volunteers in emergency management and management of SES volunteers. It is part of the Government's reinvestment of volunteer skills to ensure that we not only get the best possible service from volunteers but also give them the best possible opportunities to achieve their goals. Volunteering for the SES is not only important to the community. It gives people of any age wonderful skills to help them and to carry them through the rest of their lives. That is an important part of volunteering in the SES.

Opposition members raised a number of issues. The member for Lane Cove, who represents the shadow Minister in this place, expressed support for the SES. I join him and other members in thanking the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association and Charlie Moir for ensuring that the council is established. I thank the association for the constructive way it approached this matter. It made a suggestion to the Government and worked with us to get the organisational structure it wanted. The member for Blue Mountains made an important contribution. I appreciated his comments on, and support for, the bill. Indeed, when he was the commissioner of the Rural Fire Service he was responsible for establishing a similar body. Much of what we have done with the SES Volunteer Consultative Council is modelled on the successful Rural Fire Service body in terms of consultation, reporting and action.

In response to comments by members opposite about whether the Volunteer Consultative Council will be effective, the Government has followed the model for the Rural Fire Service Advisory Council, which has proven to be successful. I expect this council to be successful in terms of consultation, feedback and action on items that are decided on by the committee. I will return to that in a moment. The member for Hawkesbury mentioned the motor vehicle rescue role of his local SES unit. Many people do not realise that the SES is the biggest road crash rescue organisation in the State, and it covers the biggest area of the State in the work it does. The member for Wollongong is lucky to have the SES headquarters in her electorate. She is a fantastic proponent of the work of the SES, and has been consistently lobbying for more assistance for SES volunteers. Of course, in representing her electorate, she always wants more staff in Wollongong. That is the job of a local member, and I give her credit for the work she does in that regard.

I had the pleasure of visiting the volunteers at the Wollongong unit with the member for Wollongong. It is a huge, fantastic unit that is very active. It has also been a pleasure to visit many other units throughout the State. The member for Tweed and the member for Lismore also contributed to the debate. I have visited a number of their units in slightly more pressing conditions when they have had floods in the area. That is one of the more inspiring things I have done as the Minister for Emergency Services. The member for Davidson talked about the make-up of the consultative council, and I will come back to that. I thank the member for Tweed and the member for Lismore for their comments. The member for Baulkham Hills, the member for Pittwater, the member for Murray-Darling and the member for Wakehurst expressed support for their local SES units.

The member for Pittwater spoke about the opening of a new SES headquarters in his area. I think the member for Davidson also mentioned that. I acknowledge, as did the member for Davidson, that councils play a huge role in supporting the development of SES facilities, which is important. I put on record my apologies for not attending the opening; unfortunately, it clashed with a few other things. Members opposite asked how we decided the make-up and composition of the council. The Government sat down with State Emergency Service Volunteer Association representatives and asked them what they wanted; that is how the actual make-up came about.

The staff members on the council will be responsible for volunteer relations, matters such as human resources and management issues. They will be able to have free and frank discussions with the association representatives on the council to address such issues. I emphasise that setting up this council will in no way prevent or discourage members of the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association from approaching the Minister with their concerns. My door, and I am sure the doors of successive emergency services Ministers, will remain open for direct approaches from the association.

The reporting arrangements with the commission will be similar to that of the Rural Fire Service Advisory Council. Minutes will be produced with action items and forwarded to the Minister. Very importantly, the State Emergency Service Volunteers Association will also develop its own representative model within the organisation to ensure that the views of volunteer members of the council are reflective of the grassroots volunteer views. They will have their own structure to report back to their members and to feed in other issues. I commend the bill to the House and thank all members for their support.

Question—That this bill be now agreed to in principle—put and resolved in the affirmative.

Motion agreed to.

Bill agreed to in principle.


Bill declared passed and transmitted to the Legislative Council with a message seeking its concurrence in the bill.