Changes to the ACT laws will better support emergency responders, the ACT Government announced, after Mick Gentleman, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, introduced legislation in the Legislative Assembly to implement the recommendations of the Review of the Emergencies Act 2004.
The Emergencies Amendment Bill 2021 will:
- Empower the Minister to appoint a Recovery Coordinator to support the community to recover from an emergency
- Strengthen employment protections for emergency service volunteers who are victimised at their paid workplace as a result of their volunteering duties during emergencies
- Broaden the scope of the Bushfire Council to advise on all natural hazards
- Empower chief officers to compel community members to assist emergency workers, including police officers, during an emergency
- Require any declaration of a state of alert or a state of emergency to be broadcast on social media channels, as well as on television and radio
- Strengthen the ESA senior leadership by creating a new position of Assistant Emergency Services Commissioner.
“These changes will further improve our response to emergencies that impact our community and will enable our staff and volunteers to continue to keep our city safe and informed,” Mr Gentleman said.
“I am immensely proud and thankful for the work our emergency services do tirelessly, day in and day out, to support our community.”
A review of the Emergencies Act is required to be undertaken every five years, and a report of the review was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on 16 September. The recommendations of the review are being implemented via the Emergencies Amendment Bill 2021.
The Review follows previous ACT reviews in this area after the 2019-20 bushfires and the Commonwealth’s Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements.
