Question - ACT firefighters

1. On what date was an officer appointed to the position of Health and Wellbeing Commander.
2. On what date did that officer commence duties as the Health and Wellbeing Commander.
3. On what date were ACT Fire and Rescue personnel notified of the appointment of the Health and Wellbeing Commander.
4. On what date did the Health and Wellbeing Commander start working very closely with the Health and Wellbeing team within the Emergency Services Agency (ESA).
5. Did the Commissioner, ACT Emergency Services Agency, state at the public hearing of the Select Committee on Estimates 2022-2023 on 1 September 2022 that “We have also appointed a health and wellbeing commander from Fire and Rescue, who is working very closely with our health and wellbeing team within the ESA"; if so, on what basis was that statement made.

(1) – (5)    The Health and Wellbeing Commander appointment was formally documented and approved by the ESA Commissioner on 22 September 2022. The Health and Wellbeing Commander officially commenced duties on 10 October 2022 and ACTF&R personnel were formally advised of this appointment on 27 October 2022.

In detailing the mental health and wellbeing services available to personnel across all Services and enabling services within the ESA, the Commissioner inadvertently advised that a Health and Wellbeing Commander had already been appointed in ACT Fire & Rescue (ACTF&R). A formal appointment had not been made at that time. However, a process had been in train for some time. 

A suitable candidate had been identified and approved, and the suitable candidate had already attended meetings and commenced consultation with relevant stakeholders, in anticipation of the formal appointment.

Prior to this, ACTF&R had made the decision in late 2021 that the Health and Wellbeing Commander position would not be filled until later in 2022, to allow for the prioritised recruitment of other positions in ACTF&R. As an interim solution, an ACTF&R firefighter with a relevant post graduate qualification was employed against the Health and Wellbeing position to commence the early development of programs. Therefore, considerable work had been ongoing since late 2021, even though the Health and Wellbeing Commander had not officially commenced duties.