Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

Minister, I am interested in the answer you have just given to Senator Roberts—that you would prevent the state government from undertaking any actions that would undermine a state act. Can you point to where the state act would be undermined? Section 27(1) of the CFA Act says:

Subject to the general powers and directions of the Authority every brigade or group of brigades and all officers and members of brigades or group of brigades shall be under the order and control of the Chief Officer.

Section 29(c) of the CFA Act—and I am sure this was done before they ever thought about a woman becoming the chief fire officer—says:

He shall at all times have the charge and control of all apparatus and other property of the Authority and shall cause the same to be kept in a fit state at all times …

And section 30 of the CFA Act makes it clear that the chief officer has complete control in any emergency. Are you saying that any of these aspects of the Country Fire Authority Act are undermine by an employer and an employee reaching an agreement that, in the words of the chief fire officer, does not give him any problem in carrying out his duties? Can you take us to the parts of the act that you say the government may not be properly dealing with and could be undermining by reaching this agreement?