Author Topic: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media  (Read 13092 times)

Offline CFS_Firey

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South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« on: September 15, 2010, 10:26:23 AM »
Yesterday afternoon several media outlets around South Australia received a package containing a red USB stick.

The stick contained a file which outlayed 310 pages of Budget cuts that were to be announced tomorrow in the Treasurer's release.

The document outlines how the Government may hope to achieve its billion dollars of cuts to expenditure, in a bid to trim the costs of the state and have the Government remain profitable.

[Read More]

Recommendations that involve the fire services include:

Introduce Fees for CFS Services in line with MFS
Introduction of fees for CFS alarm monitoring, false alarms and fire safety advice. The fees would be set at the
same rates as MFS so that consistent fees are charged regardless of location.

Own CFS Light Fleet Rather than Lease
CFS maintains a light fleet of over 150 4WD vehicles, such as Nissan Navaras, that are used by volunteer
officers as operational Command and Logistics vehicles in a response role and are driven on the fireground.
CFS currently leases these vehicles whereas it would be cheaper to own these vehicles as they travel relatively
low kilometres compared to the average lease vehicle and require extensive fit-out including lights, sirens,
badging, radios, bull bars, custom shelving etc. which are inefficient to change-over on relatively short leasing
periods.

CFS FTE Reductions
CFS could achieve savings by reducing its staffing levels. Savings are based on reducing its Regional staff by
3, Training by 4, Infrastructure & Logistics by 2, Operations by 2, Administration by 1 and Executive by 1.

Reverse IT connectivity for CFS volunteers
In February 2010, the Government announced $9.4m over five years to provide IT connectivity, additional
pagers and the acceleration of building and maintenance works for emergency services volunteers. This
initiative would reverse the IT component providing computers and broadband access to CFS Brigades and
Groups.

Aerial Firefighting Phase 1 - Discontinue Medium Volume Helicopters
Reduce South Australia's aerial firefighting fleet by discontinuing the two medium volume helicopters and a
surveillance helicopter. Helicopters are more expensive than fixed wing aircraft.

Discontinue Annual Bushfire Awareness Campaign
CFS has funding for an ongoing bushfire awareness campaign involving limited television, radio and print
advertising. The campaign seeks to remind the general public of the threat of bushfires and encourages them
to seek additional information on being prepared. Savings could be achieved by discontinuing this campaign.

Discontinue CFS Community Education Programs
CFS has a base Community Education team of five part-time Community Education Officers that work with
local communities to provide practical advice on preparing for bushfires. Savings could be achieved by
discontinuing these programs.

Reduce CFS Regions from 6 to 3
CFS currently operates 6 Regions, in order to produce savings, CFS could reduce to 3 larger Regions. Savings
would result from ceasing to lease facilities at Willaston, Murray Bridge and Port Augusta, a reduction of 6
FTEs and associated on-costs.

Surrender the space leased on Level 4 of 60 Waymouth Street Adelaide
Level 4 provides a conference and meeting room areas for the co-ordination of operations and meetings during
emergency situations including CFS press conferences. The lease ends August 2014 and there may be costs
associated with breaking the lease agreement.

Reduction in Records Management System resourcing
The emergency services sector is introducing an electronic Records Management System as currently no
formal system exists for the management and tracking of documents. This saving reduces the resources to
administer the system, train users and provide leadership in strategic records management to 1 FTE.

Discontinue the library service provided at Angle Park
This proposal will discontinue the library service that is provided at the Angle Park Training Centre. The
reduction in 1 FTE will mean that the library will eventually close as it will not be able to function.

Reduce Assets and Procurement function (Phase 1)
A reduction in 2 FTEs through a staff reduction in sector wide procurement systems located at the MFS Store
(1 FTE) and within the centralised procurement team (1 FTE).

Provision of SES Business Management service by SAFECOM
This proposal seeks to remove the SES business manager (an FTE within SAFECOM) and undertake this role
using existing SAFECOM Finance staff.

Reduce Emergency Management function (Phase 1)
This saving will cease the provision of support for statewide water safety initiatives with a reduction of 0.5
FTEs. The Emergency Management function currently consists of 4 FTEs.
This position provides policy and training direction for water safety across the state and is part of a national
system which is aimed at reducing the rapidly increasing number of deaths in water areas.

Reduce staff in Public Affairs function (Phase 1)
This saving seeks to rationalise and consolidate the communications and media function within SAFECOM by
reducing staff by 1 FTE. This function currently consists of 7 FTEs.

Reduce Volunteer Strategy and Support (Phase 1)
This saving reduces administrative and youth support staff within the volunteer strategy and support branch
by 1 FTE. Volunteer Strategy and Support currently has a total of 11 FTEs.


...Plus many more, including closing 4 regional MFS stations, closing 20 CFS brigades, removing 3 MFS Station crews and closing 10 SES units.   Many of these recommendations are listed as "lower priority", and I would hope the government doesn't cut any resourcing of the emergency services.

Read the document on the ABC news article for more info...
« Last Edit: September 15, 2010, 10:51:08 AM by Mike »

Offline Robert-Robert34

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2010, 11:37:42 AM »
Sounds like the pollies are digging their own graves by doing these budget cuts but why put the public's safety at risk by reducing aerial fire fighting as well as discontinuing the community bushfire preparedness program

Next thing you know the government might wanna change the brigades who monitor alarms from volunteer to paid this would cause alot of problems  :x
Kalangadoo Brigade

Offline Bagyassfirey

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2010, 12:44:26 PM »
REDUCE STAFFING LEVELS ARE YOU FOR REAL!! 

Offline Alex

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2010, 12:48:06 PM »
Wow, quite interesting. Take it with a pinch of salt thou if it is a 'leaked document'.

Several things stand out...

Quote
Introduce Fees for CFS Services in line with MFS
A good idea, about time.


Quote
Aerial Firefighting Phase 1 - Discontinue Medium Volume Helicopters
Foolish, if anything ditch the skycrane, instant huge saving. The 'medium volume helis' are the one of best things we have for urban fringe firefighting.


Quote
Reduce CFS Regions from 6 to 3

Probly not a bad idea, but would make managing vols within the region difficult.

Would be interested to know which closures were recommended, but hopefully that would never happen.

Offline Pipster

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2010, 12:53:58 PM »
Some interesting suggestions.....bearing in mind these are suggestions at this stage, not necessarily going to happen (I hope!)

And for some of these suggestions, we are going back to what we had before!!  The suggestion that CFS purchase it's own command vehicles...that's what we used to do, but the Govt forced CFS to lease them through state fleet, because we could save money!!!

In view of the Coronial Inquest in Victoria, I doubt that some of the suggested measures, such as cutting bushfire awareness campaigns, community ed etc is unlikely......

As for cutting other staff - we all know CFS is short staffed as it is now....any reduction is cutting to make things worse!!

Pip
There are three types of people in the world.  Those that watch things happen, those who make things happen, and those who wonder what happened.

Offline Zippy

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2010, 01:17:08 PM »
Regional staff by
3, Training by 4, Infrastructure & Logistics by 2, Operations by 2, Administration by 1 and Executive by 1.

Account Manager Comment: No significant issues with adopting this measure have been identified.

No Significant Issue with doing this...WHAT A JOKE.

Putting the funds saved in closing the community education department into operational staff is what is required to make the operational capability of the CFS meet the "Minimum" Standard..

Offline Zippy

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2010, 01:21:16 PM »
Lol..."There is a risk that a reduction in support services to the MFS would result in industrial action."   Smart thinking SA Government bean counters!

Offline mattb

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2010, 01:23:30 PM »
It is interesting to note that most that almost every measure that impacts MFS has the risk "That a reduction in support services to the MFS would result in industrial action" whereas similar measures affecting volunteers have "No significant issues with adopting this measure" identified.

You can certainly see who is viewed as having the teeth...

Also reducing CFS Staff levels by at least 13 will have no significant impact - well it will on the volunteers who will be picking up the slack.

Darren

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2010, 01:25:28 PM »
I can save them heaps of money.....let's all stop volunteering in a soon to be even more sub standard service.

Offline Zippy

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2010, 01:34:13 PM »
SAPOL: Volunteer history check fee (Police Check)

Description: A fee of $10 is proposed for any volunteer obtaining a police history check as a contributor to the cost. Current
policy is for volunteers working with children or vulnerable groups to pay nothing.

Savings Rationale: Cost Recovery.

Account Manager Comment: This measure may impact on the community's willingness to volunteer.


Pretty much got it right mr account manager.

Offline CFS_Firey

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #10 on: September 15, 2010, 01:43:29 PM »
Quote
Reduce CFS Regions from 6 to 3

Probly not a bad idea, but would make managing vols within the region difficult.

Would be interested to know which closures were recommended, but hopefully that would never happen.

They specifically talk about facilities at Willaston, Murray Bridge and Port Augusta with the regional merging, but with the brigades closures, all I can see is:

Quote
This measure needs to be evaluated in conjunction with CFS proposals to close 20 CFS Brigades and reduce CFS regions from 6 to 3.
That's in the account managers comments for the Regional MFS station closures.

Offline SA Firey

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #11 on: September 15, 2010, 01:46:04 PM »
Get rid of the Aircrane and the fuel truck that has to follow it everywhere.Put the saved money towards the Air Tractors, and more Regional Staff :wink:
Images are copyright

rescue5271

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #12 on: September 15, 2010, 03:18:53 PM »
Wow they must have moved the region 5 HQ overnight to Millicent as that is one of the regional offices to be closed....Just love how its been leaked did the POLLYS do it??? How about sedn back the SKY CRANE that coast way too much to run...

Darren

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #13 on: September 15, 2010, 04:18:23 PM »
Where did it say Millicent ? I saw Willaston - R2, Murray Bridge - R3 and Pt Augusta - R4, leaving Naracoorte - R5, Mt Barker - R1 and Pt Lincoln - R6.

rescue5271

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #14 on: September 15, 2010, 07:06:32 PM »
Was on ABC radio, I am sure we has Volunteers could work out where CFS could save money but not sure if they would listen.....

Darren

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #15 on: September 15, 2010, 08:06:41 PM »
This budget review is pre heads of departments looking over it, what comes out tomorrow is what they thrashed out.

Offline Bagyassfirey

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #16 on: September 17, 2010, 01:17:28 PM »
2010-11 State Budget – CFS

Today (Thursday 16 September 2010) the Treasurer handed down the 2010 11 State Budget.  The budget for CFS for 2010-11 has been set at $63.1 million, which is the same level of funding as the 2009-10 estimated result of $63.1 million.

It is pleasing to note that CFS has not received any significant budget cuts.  The only new savings applied to CFS, were two items that the CFS had been seeking to address, they are as follows:

•        Introduction of Service Fees
This involves CFS generating additional net revenue of $1.2 million over four years through the introduction of regulated fees for alarm monitoring, false alarms and building fire safety advice.  These fees will be set at the same level as the MFS and are expected to come into effect from 1 July 2011.  This initiative also includes two new ongoing staff positions to establish and maintain the fee structure, associated policies, processes, liaison with Groups & Brigades and dispute handling.

•        Country Fire Service Light Vehicle Fleet Initiative
CFS has received an increase to its capital program to purchase its light fleet (ie: Command/Logistics Vehicles) rather than lease these vehicles.  This will produce recurrent savings in lease and fit-out costs as CFS will be able to keep these vehicles for a longer period requiring fewer vehicle change-overs.  Further work is required to determine the specifics, however, the initiative is expected to commence this financial year.

The CFS capital program for 2010-11 is $14.0 million, including the additional funding for purchasing light fleet vehicles, compared to $15.2 million in 2009 10.  The 2009-10 capital budget was higher due to the one-off funding of $3.2 million for additional building works and pagers.

The Budget papers are available from www.treasury.sa.gov.au and include the Portfolio Statements identifying the targets and new key performance indicators for CFS.  The Portfolio Statements also show that with the Prepare. Act. Survive. funding, the proportion of the CFS budget going to prevention and community preparedness has increased from 4% to 8%.

While CFS continues to face workload pressures and increasing community expectations, this is a positive budget outcome for CFS, when many Government agencies and departments are facing significant budget reductions.

Further information on the State Budget and updated budget allocations, including a copy of the CFS Portfolio Statements will be provided to managers at the Strategic Leadership Group meeting on Tuesday 21 September 2010.

Offline CFS_Firey

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #17 on: September 17, 2010, 03:08:06 PM »
Good choices!

Darren

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #18 on: September 17, 2010, 04:04:24 PM »
At least the kept the status quo, and its good to see alarm fees brought inline with MFS, the current system is a joke, no wonder people don't bother doing any system maintenance.

I know for a fact that a nursing home at seaford won't hand over to the MFS as the MFS fee's are a lot higher than the CFS fee's.

Offline bajdas

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #19 on: September 17, 2010, 06:05:41 PM »
Read this from AdelaideNow website...

"...DISBANDING of the justice portfolio, leaving SA Police, the Department for Correctional Services, the Courts Administration Authority, SAFECOM and the Attorney General's Department to operate independently...."

Given that different Ministers are allocated to the departments, it must have been difficult for Justice portfolio to co-ordinate and implement standard processes/policies.
Andrew Macmichael
lives at Pt Noarlunga South.

My personal opinion only.

Offline Andrew K

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #20 on: September 18, 2010, 09:59:21 AM »
good to see someone has finally realised that rent all the light ops vehicles is a more expensive solution than buying hopefully the ses will work that out too and be able to follow suit

Offline Zippy

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #21 on: September 18, 2010, 01:16:10 PM »
good to see someone has finally realised that rent all the light ops vehicles is a more expensive solution than buying hopefully the ses will work that out too and be able to follow suit

And..the rest of fleet SA...The Governer's car should be a 1960's GEM.

Offline Rainer

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #22 on: September 25, 2010, 01:58:22 AM »
The fleet thing was by the way one of the things recommended by the R1 budget committee ...so it looks like that idea may have fallen on fertile ground

rescue5271

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #23 on: September 25, 2010, 08:44:24 AM »
I understand that CFS will only be buying command cars out right,but staff cars will still be from FLEET SA?? So really it should cover all of them not just the command cars that volunters use, what is the change over KM for a staff car???

Offline vsteve01

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Re: South Australia's billion dollar Budget cuts leaked to media
« Reply #24 on: September 25, 2010, 06:12:00 PM »
from my experience it's easier in government agencies to have budget for operational expenditure (lease/rent), than it is for capital exp(out right).  Cap ex is the first thing to get the slash during budget cuts.  You also run into the problem where in year 1 you spend a few mill on new things, then in 5-7 years when you need to replace them you won't be able to find the money.

The other painful thing is that you can't carry money over year to year.  So you can't save it up.

Until the government fixes how the money works, unfortunately poor spending decisions need to be done.