The UFU is highly critical of the Emergency Services Agency’s (ESA) consultation processes with staff and key stakeholders, believing it to be largely disingenuous and self-serving.
This document ‘Analysis of Emergency Services Agency Roundtable Process – March 2018’ presents a critical analysis of the establishment, conduct and the reporting of the outcomes of the ESA’s ‘Roundtable’ process convened by the ESA over January – March 2017. It can be found here:
- Executive Summary
- Main Report: UFU Analysis of ESA Roundtable Process
- Attachments to Main Report: Roundtable analysis
- Addendum: Strategic Reform Agenda An Antecedent
- Attachments to Addendum: A to F
- Attachments to Addendum: G to K
The origin of the roundtables was the Parliamentary Agreement for the 9th Legislative Assembly which committed the ACT Government to: “…establish a rigorous ongoing consultation process, including through a roundtable meeting, to discuss wider resourcing, structural and organisational reform, and increasing diversity in the firefighting service.” (our emphasis).
This analysis suggests the roundtable consultation process was fundamentally flawed in both design and implementation, from its inception through to completion. It is a case study example of self-justification designed to suit the ESA’s own pre-determined and self-serving agenda.
The analysis concludes that the consultation process did not meet the very purpose intended for it by the Parliamentary Agreement and seeks a more genuine and rigorous process that does.
The UFU recommends that a renewed, properly constituted, roundtable process be instigated, overseen by a body independent of the ESA, with terms of reference and a modus operandi to be developed in consultation with key stakeholders.