RIT - Monthly Newsletter September 2023

Welcome to our September Reform Implementation Taskforce (RIT) newsletter.

Across the program, we’re gearing up for some major milestones and exciting events. Read about the different stream achievements below.

NOW OPEN - SENTIMENT SURVEY

The Disaster and Emergency Services Reform sentiment survey is now live for you to share your thoughts. Your honest input will help build our strategies and support systems to better meet your needs. The survey will close on 4 October.

STANDBY FOR BROADCAST

Assistant Commissioner Marcus Hill shares the latest news across the Reform Implementation Taskforce.

Hear AC Hill talk about the program’s:

• Latest achievements
• Roadblocks
• What’s happening next month
• Engagements underway.

ENGAGEMENT UNDERWAY WITH DC CHELEPY

Deputy Commissioner Shane Chelepy recently attended the First Nations Mayors Conference in Cairns, where he briefed mayors, councillors and CEOs of some of the most disaster-prone areas on the Disaster Management transitions and the importance for local communities to be prepared in the event of a natural disaster as we look to expect hotter than usual conditions.

While in the Far North, the State Disaster Coordinator also had the pleasure of attending the Queensland Police Service’s inaugural First Nations Peoples and Communities Awards Night.

The First Nations Mayors Conference has been running since 2011 to discuss topics affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities.

CALLING ALL QUESTIONS

Send us your questions and have it answered by the Deputy or Assistant Commissioner.

Did you know your question could already be answered? View frequently asked questions from across the program on the disaster and emergency services program webpage.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

We want to make sure we provide you with the most up to date and current information at hand.

To ensure you are kept informed please subscribe to the RIT Monthly Newsletter.

STREAM UPDATES

The following updates are provided by the work streams that are part of this reform program. Each work stream update has been approved by the stream Business Reform Coordinator.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT (DM):

• The countdown is on with the Disaster Management team holding their ‘30 days to go’ townhall this week. More than 90 staff joined DC Chelepy, AC Marcus, A/AC Boniwell and Chief Supt Bosnjak to hear the updates and progress on the disaster management transition to QPS.
• Forty-seven Disaster Management Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) staff are preparing to transition over to the Queensland Police Service (QPS) on 30 October 2023.
• The team will become the first staff to join the new Emergency Management Coordinator Command (EMCC).
• While this transition is occurring, disaster management functions and services will continue as usual. It is imperative for services and the way they are accessed continue as usual, especially during the upcoming disaster season.
• Staff and functions will transition over three phases. October will see Disaster Management Training, Regional Emergency Management, State Disaster Coordination Centre (SDCC) Watch Desk, SDCC Exercising and SDCC Planning transition, with further DM functions to transfer through to next year.
• There will be another Townhall closer to the transition date on 23 October to provide support and answer questions.

STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE (SES):

• We have continued to engage with Local Governments about the disaster and emergency services reforms this month, visiting Redland City Council, City of Moreton Bay and the Brisbane Disaster and Emergency Management Centre. We will continue to engage with local governments as the reform progresses, acknowledging that SES will remain a shared responsibility between the Queensland Government and councils.
• We’ve held Training Townhalls throughout local communities to seek feedback from staff and volunteers. The Townhalls will help improve how training occurs within SES in the future. The recordings can be viewed on the SES ForGov webpage.
• Our change champions came together on the 29 and 30 August 2023 to meet with senior leaders from QFES and QPS, to hear about their vision for the transition of SES to QPS. Change Champions will play an important part in the transition and will support the RIT with messaging and information flow.
• Work is underway to understand the potential people impacts from the SES transition to QPS. This work will inform how training/support is provided to enable SES to continue to operate effectively post transition to QPS. This work is complex, and it will take time to ensure we get it right.

SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS:

• As part of the Queensland Government Emergency Services Reform program three Service Level Agreements (SLAs) will be transferring from QFES to QPS in the coming months.
• The SLAs have enabled the collaboration and engagement with the partner organisations, critical in building trust and robust partnerships across emergency service organisations. ​
• The service agreements that are changing are Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ), Royal Life Saving Society Queensland (RLSSQ) and PCYC Emergency Services Cadets which will transfer on 1 October 2023 with their funding remaining the same. QFES will continue to work with these agencies until QPS have a fully established team in place over the next few months.
• We want to acknowledge these agencies and the partnership that QFES has had with them historically. QFES will continue to engage with these stakeholders and partake in their events moving forward noting their importance to Queensland and the wider emergency services community.

MARINE RESCUE QUEENSLAND (MRQ):

• Four Volunteer Marine Rescue and Coast Guard Units have been selected to take part in Marine Rescue Implementation Desktop Pilot activities. The Marine Rescue Implementation Program is looking forward to working with these units to ‘test and learn’ many of the activities, tools, systems, processes and policies required for an individual unit to successfully transition to MRQ.
• MRQ Legislation has now been drafted and development of the Marine Rescue Queensland Bill 2024 (Consultative Version) is underway.

QUEENSLAND FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICE (QFES):

• QFES has been progressing the organisational design for the establishment of the Queensland Fire Department, consulting with the workforce and key stakeholders through the establishment of reference groups and multiple engagement sessions and town halls across the state.
• The proposed Fire and Rescue Service boundary maps are available on the ForGov webpage and will be further developed and refined through ongoing consultation.
• A new Rural Fire Service (RFS) structure has been developed to support the additional 114 staffing uplift positions. The new structure will have a state office, four regions, eight districts and 25 areas.
• RFS boundary maps showing the new regions, districts and areas are available on the ForGov webpage.
• A second round of engagement sessions has commenced for staff and volunteers. These sessions will continue through the remainder of September and into October.

QUEENSLAND POLICE SERVICE (QPS):

• As part of the new EMCC establishment, QPS has developed a recruitment plan, with jobs being advertised on Smart Jobs in three waves over the coming months.
• The first wave of recruitment for new positions within the Command have started to go-live on Smart Jobs for civilian positions and the QPS Gazette for sworn officer positions. Please keep your eye out for future opportunities.

CONTACT US

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us. We value your feedback and will endeavour to answer your questions.

KEEP INFORMED

Visit our ForGov webpage for information, news, videos, upcoming engagement opportunities and events.

FAQS & MYTH BUSTERS

View our FAQs and Myth Busters to find an answer to your question.

Last updated:

22 September 2023