In a welcome move for the local government sector, the NSW Government has announced that from 1 July 2027, it will take over ownership and responsibility of the Rural Fire Service’s mobile assets – commonly referred to as the “Red Fleet”. The announcement made by Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib last Friday, 12 June has been hailed as a victory by both Local Government NSW (LGNSW) and the Country Mayors Association (CMA) after many years of lobbying and representations to the government. Mayor Darcy Byrne, President of LGNSW said the move would come as a great relief to local councils across NSW. “For the last 30 years, legislation has said that these assets are owned by councils. Yet councils had no say in the acquisition, usage and disposal of these assets; these were all decisions of the Rural Fire Service,” said Cr Byrne. LGNSW says that despite this, councils have been required to record these assets in their financial statements and absorb the depreciation expense for these assets, as well as the costs of inspecting and recording these assets in their accounts. Cr Byrne said that the reform will be particularly felt in smaller rural and regional areas where the vesting of Red Fleet assets has had a huge impact as these communities often have a proportionally larger RFS presence,” Cr Byrne said. “These councils were carrying a heavy financial burden by being forced to record them on their books. “This is a major win for local government and comes after years of persistent advocacy by LGNSW and from our individual councils. “Having the red fleet off the balance sheets of local councils is a big win for local government. “Many councils that are struggling to overcome financial constraints will be relieved to have this problem resolved. “We look forward to working with the government to ensure a successful transition over the next 12 months.” CMA Chairman, and Temora Shire Council mayor Rick Firman has also welcomed the announcement. "The CMA Board and our 89 Rural, remote and regional council members welcome the government’s decision,” Cr Firman said. “We have worked hard with the government to remove the RFS assets from our books to reflect the current reality that these assets are operated by the RFS, not Councils. “Minister Dib as well as the Treasurer have both always made time to meet with us to discuss this most important issue. “They realise that we need strong Councils in the bush, and this decision will go some way to assisting with our critical issue of financial sustainability.” Cr Firman said that for Temora the news means that the council will no longer be liable for expenditure on repairs and maintenance of the RFS fleet. “The infrastructure assets, such as sheds are still being lobbed for, however, this is a very positive first step.” There are more than 6000 firefighting vehicles from councils that will be transferred to the RFS. Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said local councils have made it clear that the existing arrangements no longer reflect the practical reality that the Rural Fire Service operates the fleet, while councils continue to carry ownership and accounting responsibilities. “Before any decision was made, it was important to understand how these arrangements arose, the role local government had historically sought to retain, and the consequences of any change,” Mr Hoenig said. “The Government has now accepted a pathway that aligns ownership with operational responsibility while recognising the continuing and important role councils play in bushfire prevention, hazard reduction and emergency management. “Councils remain valued partners in protecting their communities, and this reform provides greater clarity about responsibilities while reducing an administrative burden that councils have consistently raised.” The government says that councils will be engaged over the coming twelve months to support the transition and identify opportunities to assist with future maintenance.
