Petition Amend the Firefighters' Presumptive Rights Compensation and Fire Services Legislation Amendment (Reform) Act 2019

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council the exclusion of Professional, Technical and Administrative (PTA) employees at the Country Fire Authority (CFA) from the Firefighters' Presumptive Rights Compensation and Fire Services Legislation Amendment (Reform) Act 2019 (the Act).

The Act currently covers career and volunteer firefighters, as well as vehicle and equipment maintenance employees. However, PTA employees are not included in the scheme, even though many of these workers experience the same exposure to smoke and chemicals while carrying out their roles at the CFA.

This exclusion only serves to make support more difficult for workers. For example a Australian Services Union (ASU) CFA delegate with stage 4 oesophageal cancer caused by exposure to carcinogens at work is not covered by the scheme and forced to go through the regular WorkCover process. This shouldn’t be the case and isn’t fair for workers. The ASU is seeking support to amend the current legislation to ensure that PTA workers are also covered. Together, we can ensure emergency services workers get the kind of practical support they need in their fight with cancer.

The ASU proposes that the Act be amended to include that for the purposes of the Act, a Professional, Technical and Administrative employee means a person who is, or was, employed in duties that involve attending Emergency Incidents or who is required to attend Emergency Incidents in an Incident Management Team role or business-as-usual capacity and/or is required to work with contaminated equipment, clothing and vehicles. For the purposes of the Act, an Emergency Incident includes activities undertaken to mitigate the impacts of emergency incidents, planned burning, burn-offs, recovery and rehabilitation and lastly, the person must be, or must have been, employed by the CFA or Fire Rescue Victoria.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to adopt the Australian Services Union's proposed amendments to the Firefighters' Presumptive Rights Compensation and Fire Services Legislation Amendment (Reform) Act 2019.