Consultation extended on TFES Reforms

Consultation on the Tasmanian Government’s TFES Bill will be extended to allow further time for communities to provide feedback.

Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management, Felix Ellis, said the Rockliff Liberal Government is acting on the findings of multiple independent reviews to ensure Tasmanian lives and property are protected from natural disasters.

“Reviews have found that Tasmania needs to act now to secure our fire and emergency services for the challenges of the future,” Minister Ellis said.

“We need to protect lives as our climate becomes more extreme and our population grows.

“That is why we released the Tasmania Fire and Emergency Service (TFES) Bill in late September for consultation.

“We know that finalising the TFES reforms will take time, consultation and consideration.

“We will continue to listen to and consider feedback received.

“The consultation period will now conclude on Friday 1 December, providing an additional 4 weeks for Tasmanians to have their say on these important reforms.”

The Bill delivers on the Government’s commitment to bring the Tasmania Fire Service and State Emergency Service together to become the Tasmania Fire and Emergency Service (TFES) under the command of a new Commissioner for Fire and Emergency Service.

The Bill also proposes a simple, fair and sustainable funding model that will be ring-fenced for emergency services and overseen by the new TFES Commissioner.

It is the largest reform proposal for our fire and emergency services since the 1970s when we merged the rural and urban fire brigades together.

Minister Ellis said the reforms will set Tasmania’s emergency services up for the future of increasing fires, floods and emergency events.

“With most of Tasmania classified as a bushfire prone or flood prone area (or both), we know that this is reform that is worth the work,” he said.