RIT - Fortnightly Newsletter 2 May 2024

Disaster and Emergency Management Reforms
Fortnightly update | 2 May 2024

We have made it to May, and the calendar is filling up with pre RIT closure activities, as June closes in.

Please remember to share this newsletter and highlight the array of ongoing activities.

Another snap from Operation Storm the Beach held at Stradbroke Island earlier this year.

A word from DC Chelepy

"I know MoGs (Machinery of Government) are hard, and I know change can be difficult.

We've been on a learning journey.

If you don't know something, ask. If we've missed something, we need to know. 

What worries me most, is if we miss an individual."

Deputy Commissioner Shane Chelepy of the QPS Disaster and Emergency Management portfolio.
Ask a question or provide feedback via the RIT contact form

RIT Program focus for the coming weeks

Final RIT sentiment survey now open

Our final sentiment survey is out now for completion.

This is your final chance to have your say on what you make of the changes taking place and what the road ahead looks like.

Throughout the course of this larger program, we have relied on your expertise and experience to guide us through the many facets of this transformation.

It is important to us, that you understand what is happening, why it is happening and the benefits it will provide in the years to come.

RIT Program success

Second reading of Legislation 1 and 2 of the Emergency Services Reform Amendment Bill 2023 commenced in Parliament on 30 April 2024.

They comprise of:

• Queensland Emergency Services Reform Bill 2023 - Covered off on changes to the Police Service Administration Act (PSAA), the transition of State Emergency Service (SES) to Queensland Police Service (QPS) and the creation of Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ)
• Disaster Management and Other Legislation Reform Bill 2024 - Revision on the creation of the Queensland Fire Department (QFD), and amendments to the Disaster Management Act and Queensland Reconstruction Authority Act (QRAA).

The next step is assent followed by proclamation (current target date of 3 June 2024).

There will be more information available on these steps in future newsletters.

Did you know about the Black Dog Institute for Better Mental Health?

The Black Dog Institute offers free and confidential mental health support for emergency services workers and volunteers - This confidential service is intended for police, fire services personnel, SES members, ambulance staff, marine rescue members, surf life savers, licensed wildlife rescuers and carers, helicopter crews, and those now retired.

National Emergency Worker Support Service - Black Dog Institute | Better Mental Health

A recap of closed RITS

Closure of:

RIT-07 - Transition of Service Level Agreements (Surf Lifesaving Queensland (SLSQ), Royal Lifesaving Society Queensland (RLSSQ), and Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) Emergency Services Cadets).

RIT-08  - Establishment of a Reform Implementation Taskforce (RIT) up to 30 temporary positions.

Implement the Government response and the required legislative and machinery of government (MoG) changes and corresponding increase in the Full Time Equivalent (FTE) cap.

RIT-09 - Review of the Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements (QDMA) by the Inspector-General of Emergency Management (IGEM) - Fulfilled a commitment made to the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ).

RIT-11 - RIT advice to Premier and Cabinet Budget Review Committee (CBRC) on funding shortfalls, capital and communications costs, grants and disaster management arrangements. The 2024-25 budgets for the SES, Queensland Police Service (QPS) Disaster Management (DM) and Corporate Support, MRQ, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES), Rural Fire Service (RFS) and Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) has been assessed and where needed, additional funding requests have been submitted to the CBRC.

RIT-12 - Establish immediately 45 SES positions, where long term need is known, from the 490 FTE. This is to enable permanent recruitment, in place of temporary recruitment to time limited roles announced in conjunction with 2022-23 budget outcomes.

RIT-13 - Indicative Allocations: SES - This provides approval for 159 positions (114 existing and 45 new positions) and up to $60M in recurrent funding for the SES. The Premier has approved the submissions for the positions and the budget for 2024-25 ongoing. With the Premiers approval and the new positions created, the key deliverables have been met with ongoing actions being carried out by the SES.  

RIT-14 - Indicative Allocations: QPS DM - This provides the QPS with 80 positions and up to $20M in recurrent funding to establish the new Emergency Management and Coordination Command (EMCC). The Premier has approved the submissions for the positions and the budget for 2024-25 ongoing. With the Premiers approval and the positions created, the key deliverables have been met with ongoing actions being carried out by the EMCC. 

RIT-15 - Indicative Allocations: MRQ - This deliverable provides MRQ with 35 positions and up to $27M in recurrent funding. The Premier has approved the submissions for the positions and the budget for MRQ for 2024-25 and with that approval, the key deliverables have been met. The positions will be created once MRQ is established on 3 June 2024.

RIT-16 - Transition of funding for service level agreements for SLSQ, RLSSQ, Police Citizens Youth Club Youth Welfare Association.

RIT-17 - Indicative Allocations:  QPS Corporate Support - This provides the Corporate Support elements of the QPS with 80 positions and up to $10M in recurrent funding to uplift support capabilities in preparation for the SES and MRQ being established under the QPS. The Premier has approved the submissions for the positions and the budget for 2024-25 ongoing. With the Premiers approval and the positions created, the key deliverables have been met with ongoing actions being carried out by the QPS.

RIT-18 - Implementation of the Office of the Chief Fire Officer, six positions.

RIT-19 - Implementation of Queensland Fire Department (QFD) 143 firefighter positions.

RIT-20 - Implementation of Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) Resourcing.

RIT-21 - Position Allocations: RFS - This provides a reallocation of 114 positions to the RFS. These position slots became available due to the SES move to the QPS. The positions have been created with the approval of the Commissioner, QFES, meeting the key deliverable  with ongoing recruitment to be carried out by the RFS.

RIT-23 - QPS Corporate Capability and Capacity Uplift, review of additional QPS Corporate Resourcing and its ability to meet increased demand resulting from RIT changes.

RIT-25 - Transition of the Marine Rescue Implementation Program (MRIP) from QFES to QPS.

RIT-27 - Establishment of intelligence/community sentiment functions for the IGEM.

Implementation of Marine Rescue Queensland

Survey feedback complete

The response to the Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ) sentiment survey has been overwhelming.

Thank you for your participation and assisting to steer the agency's future direction.

Two more marine rescue vessels deployed
Two new marine rescue vessels have arrived at their respective homes.

CS31 will permanently be kept in Cairns, while another 7.5 metre hard collared rescue vessel is now available at Rockhampton as a contingency measure.

Contingency vessel MR32 will be available when additional support is needed for Central Queensland in times of emergency, disaster or when a unit's primary vessel is out of action.

Volunteer spotlight

Meet Ian Sutton, a marine volunteer who has been a member of Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association (AVCGA) for the past three decades.

Hear more on Ian's adventures below. What an inspiration he is to volunteers everywhere!

State Emergency Service

Regional gatherings remain underway 

SES training days and evening information sessions have continued across the state.

The events provide a platform for volunteers to meet and greet the Chief Officer and hear on updates around transition activities.

Check out SES- Regional Gatherings to take part in one of the next sessions.

SES Assistant Commissioner Brian Cox addressing SES members during regional gathering.

Queensland Fire Department

That's a wrap!

Rural Fire Service Queensland (RFSQ) Acting Chief Officer Ben Millington has had the privilege of visiting Brigades across Queensland to see firsthand training being undertaken and to discuss the changes taking place.

As the formation of the new service approaches (1 July 2024), Mr Millington is keen to continue receiving feedback about how the RFSQ should take shape.

RFSQ Acting Chief Officer Ben Millington presenting at Kedron.

Rapid survey

Remember to let us know how you are feeling about the change to Rural Fire Service Queensland (RFSQ). 

What do you make of the opportunities it presents? Do you think it will create any challenges?

Brigade members are being encouraged to fill out the Future Direction of RFSQ Survey

The survey closes tomorrow (Friday 3 May).

Volunteer Online Forum

All RFSQ volunteers and staff are invited to join in on a Volunteer Online Forum.

Date: Wednesday 8 May
Time: 6.30pm – 7.30pm

An update on the reform will be provided and there will be time to take questions. 

If there are topics you would like addressed during the second forum, please email these to corfs@qfes.qld.gov.au.

Queensland Reconstruction Authority

Building resilience

The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) continues to work on function transition discussions with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES). The Hazard and Risk and the Community Engagement and Education Transition and Implementation Plans, and the Community Awareness Campaigns Schedule to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), are expected to be finalised soon.

Building community awareness

With contribution from representatives of QFES, QPS and the SES, QRA is facilitating and advancing transition discussions on the agreed projects and activities within the Community Awareness Campaigns, Hazard and Risk and Community Engagement and Education functions that are transitioning to QRA as of 1 July 2024. Detailed collaborative planning for the transitioning functions continues with the involved agencies.

Disaster Management

Transition on track

As QPS and QFES transition, the current Interim Disaster Management (DM) Arrangement Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is being circulated for closure and final approvals.

Interagency consultation and workshops have commenced with favourable input for three new MoUs being:

• Disaster Management
• SES, and;
• ICT

Contact  Us

Have any questions, comments or concerns? Please contact us. We value your feedback.