Combined Emergency Services legislation – current status (latest position)
The DFES website Legislation – Department of Fire and Emergency Services contains the following information:
“The first phase of the legislation change involves developing the Emergency Services Consultation Exposure Draft Bill (known as the EDB).
The proposed legislation aims to lay a strong and integrated foundation for effective emergency services management in the future. It will also improve community safety and provide better support for emergency services workers.
To determine the scope of the new legislation, DFES conducted extensive consultation with State agencies, local government, volunteers and industry during a legislation review that resulted in over 5,000 comments submitted. These submissions assisted in developing drafting instructions, which Cabinet subsequently approved.
The drafting instructions have been provided to Parliamentary Counsel’s Office (PCO) to draft the EDB. During this phase of the project, there is extensive communication between DFES and PCO. Once the EDB is released, an extensive public consultation period will be undertaken. Feedback from the consultation period will be considered and used to inform any necessary changes to the proposed legislation before submission to Parliament. Once submitted to Parliament, the Bill will be debated for Parliamentary approval (Royal Assent) to publish the Act.”
While drafting is underway, details of the Bill are confidential under Cabinet conventions, so very little is known about likely improvements and the impact on SES volunteers.
A detailed briefing has been requested by the SES Volunteers Advisory Committee (SES VAC) for its May meeting.
VAC Assessment of SES unit vehicles
SESVA is assisting the SES Volunteers Advisory Committee (VAC) with the distribution of a questionnaire for all SES units to complete to assess the current SES fleet. The SES
fleet includes motor vehicles, trailers, vessels, ATUs, and any other vehicle.
This will equip the SES VAC with a clear understanding of current and future SES vehicle needs, allowing it to influence change management discussions with the FES Commissioner and the Minister for Emergency Services.
All individual Unit information will be treated as confidential with the results presented as a collective. Contact Ross Jones, Deputy SES VAC Chairman, for more information vac@ses-wa.asn.au
WOW Day – Wednesday 20th May 2026
What the SES Volunteers Association of WA is doing Your Association proposes:
• Advertising on its website and Facebook page.
• Liaising with DFES on alternative celebratory events and
regional office support to units.
• Promoting SES unit WOW Day celebrations.
• Providing a WOW Day information package, WOW Day
Poster and Orange WOW Day lapel ribbons.
Support for unit WOW Day celebrations
The SESVA is offering a WOW Day information package and poster plus WOW Day ribbons for SES units to assist with making WOW Day 2026 one that your fellow Volunteers and your community will embrace and celebrate with you.
The information package includes suggestions and tools that will assist units to develop a celebration that is equal with the value you contribute to the community. Your Unit can use all or some of this material as you wish; to change and personalise as required. What you decide to do will be significantly influenced by your local circumstances.
Send a request
Request the information package, poster and lapel ribbons by 14 April. Email sesva.office@ses-wa.asn.au