Unions call for bushfire royal commission

Firefighting bodies have called for a likely royal commission into the bushfires to look into resourcing, coordination, inter-state communication, training and fatigue as critical issues.

Representatives from six organisations in NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia raised the issue on Wednesday after Prime Minister Scott Morrison flagged the potential for a royal commission earlier this week.

United Firefighters’ Union of Queensland state secretary John Oliver said there needed to be a proper examination of what occurred this fire season as lives were lost and blazes continued to burn.

“We need to have confidence in a body that could be set up to do such work – only a royal commission will give us that,” Mr Oliver told reporters.

“Coroners’ reports will go some way but a thorough examination needs to occur from pre-fire, during the fire itself and post-fires.”

Mr Oliver said the next fire season could be just nine months away.

He called on the federal government to commit to establishing the royal commission “or more lives will be lost”.

The union’s South Australian secretary, Max Adlam, said resourcing was a big issue and national coordination would be required into the future.

“We believe that the royal commission would go some way to leading that change that’s required, a different way of thinking,” Ms Adlam said.

West Australian secretary Lea Anderson said the protection and defence of communities, mitigation, preparation and recovery needed to be addressed.

Australian Associated Press