Emergency Services Minister Mick Gentleman has swatted away suggestions from unions and staff the Emergency Services Agency was too top heavy and unable to adequately support frontline firefighters and paramedics.
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Mr Gentleman said the agency did a "remarkable" job providing emergency service personnel when they were required across the ACT, and said any problems were not a result of what the opposition described as "top heavy senior management".
"I have every confidence in the ESA and the ESA commissioner," Mr Gentleman said in Legislative Assembly question time on Thursday.
Mr Gentleman said the agency was formed following recommendations after the 2003 Canberra bushfires, which found separately run emergency services did not work well together.
United Firefighters Union ACT branch secretary Greg McConville on Wednesday said the agency should no longer be allowed to handle the ACT firefighting service's operational issues and amounted to "lead in the saddlebags" of firefighters.
"We call on the ACT government to get the ESA out of emergency service operations and return the ESA to its original intent as an administrative and governance body," Mr McConville said.
The firefighters' union also said 11 firefighting appliances were off the road, while nine were in service despite faults.
Mr Gentleman on Thursday said there were around 330 vehicles across the Emergency Services Agency, so sending nine trucks away for maintenance was not noteworthy.
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The Emergency Services Minister also said the Emergency Services Agency would institute a new roster for paramedics to alleviate pressure on staff.
"I'm sure we will see a lot of lateral recruitment for people wanting to come and try our new roster," Mr Gentleman said.
Paramedics, represented by the Transport Workers' Union, in May declared they wanted to split from the Emergency Services Agency, accusing its commissioner, Georgeina Whelan, of running a "dictatorship".
The union's members also passed a motion of no confidence in Ms Whelan in November.
The Emergency Services Agency is currently the subject of a snap review, which staff were told was aimed at improving the management of the organisation, which operates fire, ambulance and emergency response services in the ACT.
The former chief executive of Ambulance Victoria, Tony Walker, is conducting the review alongside an independent review team. Justice and Community Safety Directorate director-general Richard Glenn in March told staff he expected to be handed a report by the middle of the year.
As the ESA continues moving to an all-hazards approach to emergency management, it is timely to review the operation of the ESA senior executive leadership team, with a focus on how they set direction and align the organisation," Mr Glenn told staff in an email seen by The Canberra Times.
Mr Gentleman said the review would be handed to Mr Glenn before the end of the month.
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
