Evaluation of SAFECOM
Evaluation of SAFECOM
On 28 August 2024, the Commission commenced an evaluation of the policies and procedures of the South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM), the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS), South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) and South Australian State Emergency Service (SES) regarding the management of conflicts of interests.
SAFECOM, the CFS, MFS and SES serve a crucial public function in the prevention, preparation for, response to and recovery from emergencies and disasters. Corruption can damage these agencies and undermine this important work.
It is important that SAFECOM, the CFS, MFS and SES have effective controls in place to prevent and minimise corruption.
The evaluation will primarily focus on the way SAFECOM manages conflicts of interests. The Commission will assess whether the policies and procedures employed by SAFECOM to manage conflicts of interests in the emergency services sector appropriately guard against corruption.
The evaluation will involve requesting and reviewing information from SAFECOM, the CFS, MFS and SES and conducting a small number of interviews with employees from each agency.
A report to parliament will be prepared in accordance with sections 40(3) and 41(2) of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012.
Terms of reference
The evaluation will examine the policies and procedures of SAFECOM that apply to the CFS, MFS and SES in respect of the management of conflicts of interests. This will include how these policies and procedures are:
- developed and reviewed by SAFECOM
- communicated to staff, contractors and volunteers in each agency (as applicable)
- enforced among staff, contractors and volunteers in each agency (as applicable).
