Criticism Of Fire Service Lacks Balance

The Minister responsible for the Fire Service, Jack Elder, has accused Opposition MPs Trevor Mallard and Grant Gillon of being selective in their references to an Audit Office report on the Fire Service Commission.

Mr Elder said the Audit Office advised him last December of the results of its audit for the year ended June 1998. It noted a marked deterioration in the management and control environment of the Commission between January and June of 1998.

"This was largely attributed to the restructuring of Fire Service administration in December 1997 and the delay in finalising the Commission's budget for 1997-98," Mr Elder said.

"The Auditor General's report to me also noted that the Fire Service Commission had, before the end of that June year, instituted a plan of action which was expected to address the issues raised in the report," Mr Elder said. "Other initiatives noted in the audit report included comment that: the Commission was addressing weaknesses in its internal control environment, it had taken significant steps to ensure that operations were well controlled at a strategic level and that it had employed a Strategic Business Development Manager to provide direction in certain areas of fixed asset management.

"Following the Auditor General's report I asked the Fire Service Commission to report to me regularly on the progress it was making in respect of these issues."