Newly minted Emergency Services Minister Joy Burch has reiterated her support for the ACT Emergency Services Agency, after allegations of bullying and tensions amid the agency's senior leadership emerged.
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Ms Burch also hit out at Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson's comments that the allegations revealed a string of management issues under ACT Labor, saying his claims were a "sad indictment" on the work of the emergency services.
Fairfax Media yesterday revealed ACT Fire and Rescue chief officer Paul Swain lodged a bullying complaint against his boss, ESA Commissioner Dominic Lane, in the middle of this year.
The allegations were formally investigated and found to be unsubstantiated in an independent process that was later reviewed by WorkSafe ACT.
But Mr Swain's formal complaint raised concerns that a seemingly fractious relationship existed between two of the territory's most critical emergency services officers.
Mr Swain quit the ESA earlier this month, leaving Canberra's urban firefighters without a permanent chief officer at the start of summer.
Ms Burch toured the agency's Fairbairn headquarters with Commissioner Lane on Monday and would not be drawn on whether claims of senior-level leadership ructions could have compromised the agency's ability to respond in an emergency.
"The staff of ESA have my confidence and whilst there have been comments made, those comments have been thoroughly, independently investigated and they just haven't stood up.
"The team here at ESA are going to do all they can for each and every one of us in the Canberra community and I'm going to stand behind them and give them the support they need."
Ms Burch declined to comment on whether she was concerned Mr Swain's complaint was indicative of a wider culture of bullying within the ESA.
"People are entitled to make comment, when comments are not substantiated, how much more effort and time do you put to them? They've been independently investigated and they've not be found to have any standing.
"The ESA is a very emergency-driven response environment. At times there are tensions.
"But first and foremost, support for the community is at the core of what each and every staff member or volunteer in the emergency services [does] and I will stand by them because what they do for our community often goes above and beyond the call of duty."
The fresh claims prompted accusations from Mr Hanson that the government had failed to deal with cultural problems within the ESA.
Ms Burch was "very disappointed to see the Canberra Liberals continue on this" and said they seemed "not to have any problem with bringing people's reputation into disrepute".
"I think that's a very sad indictment of the great work that all staff at ESA do and I think we should stand behind them, support them, because what they do for our community is first rate."
Commissioner Lane declined to comment on the allegations.
Ms Burch observed staff and volunteers at Fairbairn as they demonstrated a mock emergency response to a big storm during her visit.
The facility was designed as a centralised hub for ACT Fire and Rescue, ACT Ambulance Service, State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service, and Ms Burch said it was critical to the territory's emergency response.
Commissioner Lane said emergency services crews were well prepared to handle the weight of several big events in January, including Summernats and a series of AFC Asian Cup matches at Canberra Stadium.
Ms Burch later visited Forrest Fire Station to commission two new ACT Fire and Rescue trucks, one of which featured artwork by Ngunnawal artist Lynnice Keen.