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

I want to go back to the volunteer charter. The volunteer charter does not affect any of the powers of the chief officer. The proposition that you would bring the volunteer charter or aspects of the volunteer charter into a bill before the federal parliament again is a significant problem, I believe, in terms of the commission being able to understand what it is supposed to do when it is dealing with an objectionable emergency management term. So I do not think you have gone anywhere near answering effectively the concerns that the Senate would have.

If we want to pass a bill, we do not want that bill to end up being continually in legal argument—even up to the High Court or on constitutional grounds. The evidence before the committee was clear that this bill is easily challengeable on constitutional grounds, even though you argue that you have had it checked. That has happened before, and we have seen the outcome of that. Can you advise me: how do you see workers—that is what paid firefighters are, they are workers in the state of Victoria? Why are they being treated differently to other workers around the country, who you have just conceded can bargain in relation to their safety equipment? Why can a firefighter not bargain with their employer? Why can a firefighter not make sure that the equipment that they are using is good equipment, effective equipment and equipment that will not put their lives in danger?