Urgent Need for Fire Safety Inspector Training in Australia

I was contacted by a constituent who is a qualified fire inspector, who obtained his qualification from Queensland TAFE many years ago. He informed me that no TAFE in Australia currently offers a course that would qualify a person to become a building fire safety inspector. This seems like a significant problem in a country that will need one million new homes to house those who are here now.

I asked the Australian Skills Quality Authority, the closest agency to the topic, about this matter. It was taken on notice.  I look forward to a prompt answer.

Transcript

Senator ROBERTS: Thank you all for appearing tonight. These very brief questions are from a constituent. Can you tell me what course a person looking to qualify as a fire systems inspector would do? 

Ms Rice: I’d have to check the details for that particular occupation as to what would be the required qualification. 

Senator ROBERTS: I don’t expect you to know everything! Take that on notice, please. 

Ms Rice: Certainly. 

Senator ROBERTS: I would also like you to identify which locations in Australia are teaching those courses currently. 

Ms Rice: Again, I’m happy to take that on notice. 

Senator ROBERTS: Fire safety is an essential inspection, Minister, for every new building constructed—and we need a lot of new buildings with massive immigration. Ms Rice, are you aware of whether your agency or any other is doing the planning for how many fire inspectors we will need in the near future and where those will be trained? 

Senator Watt: I’m not. Ordinarily, that kind of work around projecting future workforce needs would probably be a Jobs and Skills Australia role. I think they were to give evidence but were released, but we could take that on notice. 

Senator ROBERTS: Thank you all for appearing tonight. These very brief questions are from a constituent. Can you tell me what course a person looking to qualify as a fire systems inspector would do? 

Ms Rice: I’d have to check the details for that particular occupation as to what would be the required qualification. 

Senator ROBERTS: I don’t expect you to know everything! Take that on notice, please. 

Ms Rice: Certainly. 

Senator ROBERTS: I would also like you to identify which locations in Australia are teaching those courses currently. 

Ms Rice: Again, I’m happy to take that on notice. 

Senator ROBERTS: Fire safety is an essential inspection, Minister, for every new building constructed—and we need a lot of new buildings with massive immigration. Ms Rice, are you aware of whether your agency or any other is doing the planning for how many fire inspectors we will need in the near future and where those will be trained? 

Senator Watt: I’m not. Ordinarily, that kind of work around projecting future workforce needs would probably be a Jobs and Skills Australia role. I think they were to give evidence but were released, but we could take that on notice.