Wayne Phillips has been appointed the sixth Commissioner for the ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA). He has acted as Interim Commissioner since September.

Commissioner Phillips said he felt privileged and honoured to lead the agency, which comprises the ACT Ambulance Service, ACT Fire & Rescue, ACT Rural Fire Service, and the ACT State Emergency Service.

“The fantastic people here, the fire stations, ambulance stations, RFS sheds, and SES units out there today, the 30-odd buildings that are there to support Canberrans in their time of need, are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I’m very proud to be able to do that.”

Commissioner Phillips was a Chief Superintendent of Fire & Rescue NSW for more than 30 years, and led strike teams during the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires. He joined the ESA as Assistant Commissioner in 2022.

“He’s brought a fantastic amount of knowledge and skill to the ESA from a career spanning across the fire service in NSW,” Mick Gentleman, ACT Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, said.

“He’s well liked here at ESA. Wayne’s brought some new morale for ESA. We’re looking forward to working with him over the forward years, and working on some of the culture issues we had at ESA, but also ensuring we can train up for the future and look after our frontline responders as well.”

Commissioner Phillips said he would focus on people, and work with the ACT Government and unions to “make sure that we keep delivering a really premier service to the ACT”.

He would not change how he led, he said. “On Tuesday, I was Interim Commissioner; today, I’m the commissioner. Next week, I’m still the same bloke, Wayne…

“I feel confident but not overly confident. I don’t make decisions lightly. I’m a consultative leader; I’m a collaborative leader.”

Commissioner Phillips said he would embed First Nations cultural practices and respect into the Agency.