AESM Vol 29, ISSUE 2 2022

VOL 29: ISSUE 2, 2022
SHARED
RESPONSIBILITY
IN NATURAL
DISASTERS
SCIENCE TO GUIDE
OUR RELATIONSHIP
TO NATURE
WOMEN’S POLICE
STATIONS - WOULD
THEY WORK?
A FURTHER 19 RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM VEOHRC FOR AMBULANCE
VICTORIA

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How to report aggressive and violent behaviour in your workplace:
worksafe.vic.gov.au/itsneverok

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FEATURE
CONTENTS
Coming Of Age:
Old forests are 3 times
less flammable than
those just burned
FEATURE
Science to Guide
our Relationship to
Nature
CEO of Natural Hazards
Research Australia,
Dr Richard Thornton,
reflects on the floods in
Queensland and NSW
21
23
Flood-affected members of the Lismore, New South Wales community. Image: www.defence.gov.au
FEATURE
Sleep Loss and
Paramedics &
Health Care Workers
13
Women’s Police
Stations in Australia
Shared
Responsibility in a
Natural Disaster
First responders and
health-care workers are
especially vulnerable to
emotional fatigue due
to shift work, long hours
and the overall stressful
nature of their jobs.
33
Keeping Veterans Out
of Jail
The proposal to establish
women’s police stations
has received a strong
platform in mainstream
media and academic
journals in regards to
combating domestic
violence.
Governments love
to talk about ‘shared
responsibility’ in a natural
disaster, but what does it
really mean?
27
The royal commission
investigates the risk factors
around veterans’ mental
health, it is missing a key
part of the puzzle: contact
with the criminal justice
system
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au
9

THE REGULARS
• Editor’s Note
3
• Recent Events
Beyond the Uniform
National Resource Sharing Capability
Volunteer Week 2022
CFA Remembers the Fallen
• Emergency Law with Dr Michael Eburn
• A Review of Disaster Funding
• Let’s Talk Mental Health with Dr Lisa Holmes
• “What Address Do You Need Police? - A Poem
• On the Frontline - Vol II Recommendations VEOHRC
• In the Spotlight - Kieran Loughlan
• AESM Book Reviews
• Emergency Breaks - Perisher
4
5
6
6
7
13
15
21
31
39
41
43
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LET’S TALK MENTAL HEALTH
Dr Lisa Holmes - Unit Coordinator and
Lecturer Paramedical Science. Edith Cowan
University. Course Coordinator Master,
Graduate Diploma and Certificate of
Disaster & Emergency Response.
MAGAZINE CONTACTS
EMERGENCY LAW
Dr Michael Eburn - PHD, leading expert in
law relating to emergency management &
emergency services.
Editorial Content
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EMERGENCY BREAKS
Each edition features a
profile on a person, team,
partnership, squad or unit
to showcase their unique
contribution to the Emergency
Services industry.
Explore local surrounds, or
new places that are only a
short plane trip or drive away,
so you can maximise every
minute of those days when
your name doesn’t appear
next to a call sign on the roster
Scan Me
to download the AESM App
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is a community educational resource
publication and does not promote itself
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solicit on behalf of charities and is no way
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Distribution of the publication is Bi-Monthly
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3
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au

RECENT EVENTS
R U OK? has shared a
powerful story highlighting
the importance of peer and
social support for police
and emergency services
workers and volunteers.
It’s a difficult time for
many Australians. The
east coast is dealing with
the deluge of record
rainfall and flooding, while
bushfires and heat wave
conditions recently affected
communities in the west of
the country.
ARE
THEY
TRIPLE
OK?
ARE
THEY
TRIPLE
OK?
While the physical damage
is obvious, it’s sometimes
harder to recognise
the emotional toll of
a natural disaster and
this is especially true for
those in the emergency
services who are working
in challenging conditions to
help others.
Husband and wife, Carlee
and Mark, are serving
police officers and have
shared their personal
stories for ‘Are They
Triple OK?’; an R U OK?
initiative that provides free
practical resources to build
confidence in supporting
colleagues and family/
friends both at home and
in the workplace.
“When a crisis arises, the
first people to respond are
our emergency services
workers and volunteers,”
said Katherine Newton,
R U OK? CEO. “While
the job can be incredibly
rewarding, working in a
high-pressure environment
with exposure to traumatic
incidents can take its toll.
“‘Are They Triple OK?’
provides tools and tips to
help us look beyond the
uniforms so we can provide
meaningful connection and
support.”
Carlee and Mark have
shared their experience of
the challenges, how they
navigate these as a couple
and as parents, what they
do to support their mental
Look beyond the uniform of your peers and
family and friends in the emergecy services
and ask “are you OK?”
Learn more ruok.org.au
wellbeing, and how family
and friends can check in
on police and emergency
services workers and
volunteers.
“Our jobs centre on
controlling and managing
incidents, emergencies,
and critical situations,” said
Carlee. “This means we
also need to control certain
feelings and emotions to
get the job done. When you
need help yourself, it’s hard
to ask.
“For that reason, it can
be a lot easier to talk
when someone checks in,
because it’s an invitation to
open up,” she said.
Friends, family, and peers
are in a unique position
to recognise when an
emergency services worker
may be going through a
tough time.
BEYOND THE UNIFORM
How to check in with family and friends
in the emergency services
“When you know someone
well, you can usually tell
when they’re a bit ‘off’
or not themselves,” said
Mark. “They might be
more withdrawn, shorttempered,
or experiencing
strains in relationships,
which are usually signs
there is more going on.”
“A conversation has the
power to break the cycle
and change (and in some
cases save) someone’s life.
If you’re wondering when
the ‘perfect time’ is to ask,
it’s anytime. The important
thing is that you ask.”
R U OK? resources
include a conversation
guide and personal
stories from police and
emergency services
workers and volunteers
that demonstrate the life
changing impact of an R U
OK? conversation.
Look beyond the uniform of your peers and
family and friends in the emergecy services
and ask “are you OK?”
Learn more ruok.org.au
If you notice the signs
that someone might be
struggling with life’s ups
and downs, it’s important
to trust your gut, reach out
and ask “are you OK?”
Carlee and Mark’s stories
can be found at ruok.org.
au along with the free ‘Are
They Triple OK?’ resources.
‘Are They Triple OK?’ was
developed in response to
Beyond Blue’s nationwide
‘Answering the call’
survey[1] which found
more than half of all police
and emergency services
employees indicated
they had experienced a
traumatic event that had
deeply affected them
during the course of their
work.
R U OK
www.ruok.org.au
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au 4

RECENT EVENTS
NATIONAL RESOURCE SHARING CAPABILITY FOR
EMERGENCY SERVICES TO BE BOOSTED FOLLOWING
BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT
AFAC, the National Council
for fire and emergency
services, welcomes the
Budget announcement
committing $1.7m to the
National Resource Sharing
Centre (NRSC), made by
Minister for Emergency
Management and National
Recovery and Resilience
Senator the Hon Bridget
McKenzie.
The NRSC, operated
by AFAC with state
and territory fire and
emergency services,
facilitates the sharing of
resources in Australia and
internationally in response
to a disaster event.
AFAC President and
NSW State Emergency
Service Commissioner
Carlene York APM said:
“The NRSC allows states
and territories to come
together in a coordinated
way and ensure that
when times are tough,
our dedicated emergency
services personnel can
be supplemented by
our partners across the
country.”
“The NRSC was vital in
helping NSW respond to
both the February floods
and the current flooding
situation.”
“The investment continues
the important partnership
that AFAC has built with
the Australian Government
through such things as the
National Aerial Firefighting
Centre and the Australian
Institute for Disaster
Resilience,” she said.
AFAC CEO Rob Webb
said: “Fire and emergency
services across the
country are united in their
commitment to help keep
Australians safe. Disasters
know no borders, and this
additional funding will allow
the states and territories
to collectively respond
to escalating disasters,
whenever and wherever
they occur.”
“The funding will allow
us to provide even more
services to support the
sector in times of need. We
look forward to working
with Department of
Home Affairs, Emergency
Management Australia to
deliver these important
services,” he said.
The NRSC was responsible
for moving hundreds of
specialised personnel
from across the country
to Queensland and NSW
in February including
swift water rescue
technicians and flood
boat crews, incident
management specialists,
field crews, command and
administration staff, storm
crews and community
liaison officers. The
NRSC has recently reactivated,
with more than
20 personnel currently
in NSW, including fleet
technicians, in-water
teams, jurisdictional liaison
officers and deployment
managers.
The new investment will
be used to better plan,
prepare and deploy
resources in Australia and
overseas, while keeping
in close contact with the
Australian Government’s
National Situation Room.
AFAC: The National Council
for Fire and Emergency
Services
5
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au

RECENT EVENTS
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK
2022
16-22 MAY 2022
Better Together
National Volunteer Week 2022 Sponsors
Better Together
Volunteering brings people together; it
builds communities and creates a better
society for everyone.
National Volunteer Week is a chance for all
of us to celebrate and recognise the vital
work of volunteers and to say thank you.
Together, through volunteering, we are
changing communities for the better.
We are, Better Together.
volunteeringaustralia.org
There’s only two weeks to
go until Australia’s premier
annual celebration of
volunteering, National
Volunteer Week. Join us
this 16-22 May 2022 as
we celebrate the power
of volunteering to bring
people together, build
communities and create a
better society for everyone.
National Volunteer Week is
a chance to recognise the
vital work of volunteers and
to say thank you. Together,
through volunteering, we
are changing communities
for the better. We are,
Better Together.
Resources are available for
everyone to use and we
encourage all volunteer
involving organisations
to proudly promote the
upcoming celebrations
and use the resources
widely to help increase the
awareness of the vital role
volunteers play in our lives.
Thank your volunteers this
National Volunteer Week
by sending a free Online
Certificate of Appreciation
directly to your volunteer’s
email.
Share photos of your
National Volunteer Week
celebrations and join
in the conversation on
social media using the
hashtags #NVW2022 and
#BetterTogether.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan placing flowers at this years memorial service. CFA Media
CFA REMEMBERS FALLEN
MEMBERS AT
STATE MEMORIAL EVENT
CFA members have come
together with the families
of fallen firefighters to
remember those who have
been lost while protecting
their communities.
The annual memorial service
was held as part of CFA’s
recognition of International
Firefighters’ Day on 4 May; a
global event started by CFA
members to honour those
who have made the ultimate
sacrifice and to thank those
who continue to serve.
This years’ service was held
on Sunday at Federation
University’s Churchill Campus
in Gippsland, and marked the
40th anniversary since the
loss of Churchill firefighter
Darren McLean.
The passing of John Mynard
in 1990 and Doug Henry
in 2005 from the nearby
brigades of Trafalgar and
Glengarry West respectively
were also recognised.
CFA Chief Officer Jason
Heffernan said the annual
memorial service was a fitting
tribute to all firefighters.
“The CFA Roll of Honour
contains the names of 80
firefighters who we will never
forget,” CO Heffernan said.
“This includes 11 Country Fire
Brigades Board and Bush Fire
Brigade Committee firefighters
prior to CFA’s inception, and
69 CFA members all who gave
their lives in service.
“This year we endured another
tragedy in the firefighting
community, with South
Australia’s Country Fire Service
losing volunteer firefighter
Louise Hincks in January.
“Our deepest condolences go
out to her family and friends,
as well as her brigade and
firefighting colleagues.”
International Firefighters’ Day
has been recognised since
1999 and was started by CFA
volunteers following the tragic
loss of five firefighters in Linton
the previous year.
The date coincides with
St Florian’s Day, who is
recognised as the patron saint
of firefighters.
CO Heffernan encouraged all
Victorians to take a moment to
reflect this Wednesday, 4 May.
“International Firefighters Day
allows the world to remember
those who have fallen, and
acknowledge today’s
firefighters who honour that
sacrifice with a continued
commitment and dedication to
protecting their communities.”
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au 6

AUSTRALIAN EMERGENCY LAW
A DISCUSSION
ON THE LAW
THAT APPLIES
TO OR AFFECTS
AUSTRALIA’S
EMERGENCY
SERVICES AND
EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT
The Australian Emergency Law Blog is back! The online blog is made possible thanks
to the generous financial support from the Australasian College of Paramedicine, the
Australian Paramedics Association (NSW), Natural Hazards Research Australia, NSW
Rural Fire Service Association and NSW SES Volunteers Association.
You can access Dr Michael Eburn’s blog at www.australianemergencylaw.com
Commission cannot order
reinstatement of health
workers dismissed over
COVID vaccination refusal
April 26, 2022
DR MICHAEL EBURN
PhD
Honorary Associate
Professor,
ANU College of Law
Adjunct Associate
Professor,
UNE School of Law
Leading Expert in Law
Relating to Emergency
Management &
Emergency Services
www.australianemergencylaw.com
Griffin v Health Secretary;
Thorncraft v Secretary of the
Department of Education
[2022] NSWIRComm
1027 (22 April 2022)
(Commissioner Murphy)
is another case on covid
vaccines. In this case
the Industrial Relations
Commission had to consider
whether Public Health
Orders, and determinations
made by the Secretaries
of the Ministries of
Education and Health
requiring employees to be
double vaccinated against
COVID-19, affected the
Commission’s capacity to
make orders in cases of
alleged unfair dismissal.
The applicants were 10
health workers, and 2
education workers. All
of ‘the applicants were
dismissed for failing to
comply with a directive from
their employer to become
double vaccinated against
the COVID-19 virus by a
certain date last year [2021]
or to provide evidence of a
medical exemption’ ([8]).
Those who hope the courts
will rule on issues such
as whether there really is
a pandemic or whether
the orders made are
reasonable will continue to
be disappointed. That is not
the function of courts and
certainly not the Industrial
Relations Commission. At
[37] Commissioner Murphy
said:
“… a considerable bulk of the
submissions by some parties
went to the validity and/or
legality and/or enforceability
of the Public Health Orders
and Determinations set out
… above, this Commission
is not the forum in which
to agitate such matters.
These instruments will be
accepted in this jurisdiction
as valid and enforceable
pieces of delegated legislation
unless and until found to be
otherwise in another place.”
The Public Health Orders,
and the departmental
determinations were
in place. The question
before the Commission
was how they affected the
Commission’s jurisdiction,
not whether the Minister or
Departmental Secretaries
either could, or should
have made those orders or
directions.
Education workers
The case for those
employed by the
Department of education
turned on issues of their
employment status as
‘temporary’ employees.
Those cases are not relevant
to the subject matter of this
blog.
Health workers
The Public Health Orders
applied to workers in several
health fields including
paramedicine. The direction
from the Departmental
secretary was more limited,
applying only to employees
of the NSW Health Service.
Both the applicants,
and the Department
agreed that there was
a distinction between
the Minister’s Orders
and the Department’s
determination. The Public
Health Orders required
workers to be vaccinated,
if they were not, they could
not work in the health
field. The determination
from the Department
went further and said that

with Dr Michael Eburn
unvaccinated workers could
not be employed by the
Department. The applicants’
argued that the Commission
could find that dismissing
the employees was ‘harsh,
unjust or unreasonable’ and
could order that they be
reinstated to their jobs even
if they could not, presently,
work. They argued that they
could be employed, but
stood down, until the need
for vaccination was removed
([41] and [42]).
At [48]-[49] Commissioner
Murphy said:
“Each of the applicants in
the public health matters
… would be, if reinstated
to their former position,
classified as a stage 1
health care worker for the
purposes of the … Health
Orders … As such, pursuant
to clause 5 of the Fourth
Health Order, they “must
not do work as a health care
worker unless the worker
has had at least 2 doses of
a COVID-19 vaccine”… In
effect, the Fourth Health
Order, which is currently
in force, would prevent
any of the applicants from
doing the job into which
they may be reinstated or
re-employed by order or
the Commission. This would
render impracticable any
order by this Commission
for reinstatement or reemployment
of any of the
applicants in the public
health matters.
Further, the Health
Determination … has made
it a condition of employment
that all employees of
local health districts, such
as the applicants were
prior to their dismissals,
be double vaccinated
against COVID-19 or hold
a medical contraindication
certificate. It is not open
to the Commission, in this
proceeding, to go behind
the Health Determination
and look at issues such
as the medical and/or
scientific basis or rationale
for the making of the
Health Determination by
the Health Secretary. The
Commission accepts that
the Health Determination
has been validly made and
is now part of the industrial
landscape for workers in
the public health sector.
It would be impracticable
for the Commission to
make orders which purport
to restore the applicants
to employment as NSW
Health Service Employees
… in circumstances where
they do not satisfy an
essential condition of
that employment whilst
they remain unvaccinated
against COVID-19 or without
a medical contraindication
certificate.”
And at [55]:
… no order can be made
in favour of any of the
applicants for reinstatement
or re-employment whilst
they remain unvaccinated
against COVID-19 or without
a medical contraindication
certificate.
Discussion
In an earlier post Requiring
COVID vaccines for emergency
workers(April 1, 2022) I said
‘where the Minister or Chief
Health Officer has exercised
a power under relevant
Public Health or emergency
management legislation to
issue an order or direction
requiring certain workers
to be vaccinated then the
employer has no choice
but to comply’. This case
continues that line of
jurisprudence. The public
health orders have been
made – unless they are
set aside by a court of
competent jurisdiction (eg
the High Court of Australia)
employers, and in this case
the Industrial Relations
Commission have no choice
but to comply. This case
went further and held that
where an employer (in this
case the Departments) had
set out that it is a necessary
condition of employment
that a person is vaccinated
then the Commission could
not order that the person
be reinstated.
In should be noted that
the Commission did not
decide that it could not
hear an application for
unfair dismissal. There are
other remedies, including
the payment of damages.
The Commission, in this
case, was not entering into
the question of whether
dismissal was unfair, rather
it was considering what it
could do about. Given the
public health orders and
the determination made
by the Secretary (noting
that the power to make
this determination was a
statutory power – Health
Services Act 1997 (NSW) s
116A(1) – not simply matter
This article originally appeared on the
blog Australian Emergency Law (https://
emergencylaw.wordpress.com/) and is
reproduced with the permission of the
author.
As a blog post it represents the author’s
opinion based on the law at the time it was
written. The blog, or this article, is not
legal advice and cannot be relied upon to
determine any person’s legal position. How
the law applies to any specific situation or
of a unilateral alteration to a
contract of employment) the
Commission could not order
that the staff be reinstated
to jobs that they cannot
perform.
As Commissioner Murphy
said (at [57]-[58]):
“This determination …
leaves open the possibility
of orders being made for
compensation… The parties
have not been asked to
address this aspect of the
applications.
Further, the applicants, or
some of them, may wish to
reconsider their position
with respect to vaccination
and become vaccinated
which would potentially
remove the existing barrier
to being employed in the
NSW Health Service.”
event depends on all the circumstances.
If you need to determine legal rights and
obligations with respect to any event
that has happened, or some action that
is proposed, you must consult a lawyer
for advice based on the particular
circumstances. Trade unions, professional
indemnity insurers and community legal
centres can all be a source for initial legal
advice.
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au 8

Author:
Dr Richard Thornton
CEO, Natural Hazards
Research Australia

Science to guide our relationship with
NATURE
CEO of Natural Hazards Research Australia,
Dr Richard Thornton, reflects on the floods in
Queensland and NSW, and how we can improve
our mitigation, response and recovery.

The full force of nature has again
been felt on the east coast, leaving
a trail of death and destruction.
The recent devastating floods in
Queensland and New South Wales
have left many Australians with a
mix of frustration, grief and anger.
Tragically, people lost their lives.
Homes, businesses, infrastructure,
natural environments and
agricultural land have all been
impacted. The recovery process
will be long and difficult and
communities will need tailored
support.
The time has come to cease using the
word ‘unprecedented’. It is unhelpful.
These floods have precedents and
it is inevitable they will occur again,
along with devastating bushfires
and cyclones. Just like the 2019–20
bushfires, these floods should
force us – again – to rethink our
relationship with nature.
Living in some parts of Australia has
always been fraught with danger.
Calls to permanently move people
out of harm’s way sound logical, but
it is just not practical to move every
home or community that could be
threatened. Buybacks of at-risk areas
have been tried in the past at a small
scale, with mixed success. We all love
where we live.
The manifestation of our risk today
has been created by decisions made
in the past. Our decisions today are
creating the risks of the future – we
must make wise ones. We need to
understand the possibilities as well
as the limits to what we can do to
reduce risk in different places.
Climate change creates conditions
that cause severe weather systems to
occur more regularly and intensely,
across a wider area. We can’t keep
repeating response, clean up and
recovery, in an attempt to get things
back to how they were. Business-asusual
is not an option.
FIRSTLY, WE MUST BUILD ON WHAT
WE KNOW.
Our collective knowledge on fire,
flood and storm is large, and we have
hundreds of recommendations from
inquiries and scientific expertise in
weather, engineering and community
behaviour that must guide us. The
Inquiries and Reviews Database,
accessible at tools.bnhcrc.com.au/
ddr/home and created through
Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC
research, is a fantastic starting point.
This database will be updated by
Natural Hazards Research Australia
as new inquiries report.
Ballina, NSW - March 2022: devastating scenes in the clean up following the February floods.
Mitigation is the key to doing things
better today. If I were to tell you
that your house will be inundated
with water tomorrow, you would
immediately think of things to do with
a very reactionary approach. What
if I were to tell you that the same
house would flood a year from today?
Would you act?
Our use of land is critical to reducing
future risk. Hard questions need to
be answered about where and how
to rebuild, that may take longer to get
right. This should take place before,
not during the disaster or in the
immediate aftermath. Research into
the long-term sustainability of our
communities can ensure we are not
repeating mistakes but building on
what works.
SECONDLY, WE MUST FOCUS ON
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW.
Either our knowledge is falling short
or we are unable to act on what
we have learnt. We must do better.
We need to better understand
where most of the impacts were
felt. Past research, including
CRC research from Prof Mehmet
Ulubasoglu, has shown that disasters
disproportionally affect the most
marginalised and vulnerable groups
and can increase the gaps between
the haves and have nots.
We need to be better at predicting
and tracking severe events, managing
landscapes for fire and flood safety,
building smarter houses and other
infrastructure, and preparing our
workforces, both volunteer and paid,
for a future with natural hazards on
increasingly larger scales.
We need to continually improve how
we warn communities, so they can
take action. A warning may be urgent
in the next five minutes. It may be
the weekly weather forecast. It may
be in the historical records that show
an area floods often and with force.
Awareness of risk is built up over the
long-term.
We must base our emergency
management policies and planning
on research and evidence that better
includes a multi-agency and multigovernment
response across large
areas. We must look to Indigenous
knowledge and historical analysis for
new insights.
11
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Queensland floods in February 2022 Image Credit: Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
At the community level, we need to
find affordable and sustainable ways
of funding our mitigation, response
and recovery. Insurance must be
accessible and affordable, as part of
risk management. If the risk is so high
that properties are uninsurable, that is
of no benefit to the homeowner or the
insurance industry and risks a market
failure.
These areas are part of the focus of
Natural Hazards Research Australia.
We have been asking the question
– what knowledge is needed to
get Australia ready for the next big
disaster, and the next?
This is the research the country needs
to focus on now, to make us safer
and to reduce the economic, social
and environmental impacts of natural
hazards.
Author:
Dr Richard Thornton
CEO
Natural Hazards Research Australia
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au 12

Review of disaster
funding and progress
on the National Risk
Reduction Framework

The Minister for
Emergency Management
and National Recovery
and Resilience, Senator
the Hon Bridget McKenzie
has initiated a review
into the national Disaster
Recovery Funding
Arrangements (DRFA).
Minister McKenzie said
it was important for
transparency, consistency
and accountability to
review the current
arrangements whereby
the Federal Government
provides money to state
governments following a
disaster.
“The joint disaster
funding arrangements are
inherently complex. But
we need to ensure that
taxpayers have confidence
that the current
arrangements ensure that
those Australians in need
are being assisted in a
timely way.
“They also need to
know how requests
are made and for what
purpose, with increased
transparency. Most
importantly, taxpayers
need to know that the
system works for people,
not politicians.” Minister
McKenzie said.
“Over the past decade the
Federal Government has
allocated more than $12
billion following disasters
to the states – but often
it takes years for us to
understand from states
how that money was
spent.”
Minister McKenzie said
the review will consider
reporting requirements
by the states about the
money they spend and
what support has been
provided. It will also
examine whether the
Commonwealth should
withhold funding to states
that fail to report.
“The Australian
Government is committed
to protecting Australians
from natural disasters
and over recent years has
shifted its responsibilities
into resilience and
mitigation.
“But we need to
make it clear what
the Commonwealth’s
responsibilities for
funding are and what are
the states’ responsibilities
– and what costs should
be shared.”
“This review will also
ensure we are more
consistent in how
recovery is delivered,
so that whether you
live in Queensland or
South Australia, the help
you get after a disaster
that is funded by the
Commonwealth is similar.
The review into DRFA
complements work
underway on the second
National Action Plan
under the National
Disaster Risk Reduction
Framework.
The National Disaster Risk
Reduction Framework’s
central premise is that
by changing how we
think about disasters
and working together,
we can take action to be
better prepared and more
resilient for whatever
comes our way.
Progressing the priority
areas of the Framework is
currently driven through
National Action Plans, and
negotiations are already
underway with the states
on the second Plan.
“We will use these
negotiations to
ensure there are clear
obligations, not just on
the Commonwealth,
but on the states and
territories, to building in
resilience and consistency
in all we do to respond to
natural disasters.
“Managing and reducing
risk is key to limiting the
impacts of disasters. Risk
reduction was also a focus
of the Royal Commission
into National Natural
Disaster Arrangements,”
Minister McKenzie said.
Any future National Action
Plan under a Coalition
Government will tie future
funding for the states and
territories to concrete
action on resilience and
mitigation. This includes
action on implementing
the Royal Commission’s
recommendations and
reporting on progress;
better data sharing
for the benefit of all
Australians; adoption
of proven mitigation
strategies such as hazard
reduction burning; and
more focus on resilience
and mitigation in state
and territory planning
systems.
Originally published under CC Licence - Australian Government: Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet
- Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie

Lets
‘
Talk
Mental Health
with Dr Lisa Holmes
Dr Lisa Holmes
PhD
Unit Coordinator and Lecturer Paramedical Science
Course Coordinator Master, Graduate Diploma and
Certificate of Disaster & Emergency Response
APPROACHING AND COPING WITH CHANGE
We have collectively gone through a time of endings and
new beginnings over the last two years. It has been a time
of change in our personal lives, professional lives, in our
communities and across the globe. Change has been the
inevitable outcome, however it is how we approach this
change that can make the difference.
A phrase I often heard when growing up ‘All good things
must come to an end’. It always struck me as having a
negative tone, like the movie or book you don’t want to
finish despite desperately wanting to know what happens,
the playdate you don’t want to end, the visitors you don’t
want to leave ……….
But really is it negative or is it something to do with our
approach to life? Is your cup half empty or half full?
Now I think about it, the ‘good things’ are what our fond
memories are made of, the things we have learnt and the
times that help us through life’s challenges and indeed
mental strain and illness, though they can be hard to reach
at times, they are always there.
Endings can be sad and at times traumatic and we may
deeply miss what has gone but perhaps it would help if we
focused on embraced what is to come. We tend to want
to forget bad times, but do we need to forget them or is
it an opportunity to take strength and wisdom from the
experience and learn how to cope in the future?
Perhaps a more positive saying could be;
‘All good things never really come to an end’ as they live
on in our hearts and minds forever to help us through
sad, bad and mad times. Things evolve because they
exist or have happened, leaving us to make room for new
experiences and learnings even if that means having the
strength for more challenging times.
So I ask, is it all a state of mind? How do we maintain a
positive outlook to endings and loss, whatever that looks
like, with the acceptance of associated emotion and the
need to recover? I guess that’s different for all of us and is
dependant on the situation but having the conversation,
sharing rather than pushing those feelings away has been
proven to help us keep going.
15
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When looking through the magazine
in preparation for taking over this
column I was reminded of the many
topics that have been discussed, all
of which have given examples of our
strength, ability to support ourselves
and each other, showing that positivity
and acceptance can rise from adversity,
deep sadness and pain. Here are a
few that particularly resonated with
me and echo the importance of these
conversations from acknowledgement
and action on a broad scale to more
personal wellness tips:
VETERANS HAVE POORER MENTAL
HEALTH THAN THE AUSTRALIAN
AVERAGE
‘Ultimately we need to continue to
focus on innovations in the prevention
of and early interventions for mental
health problems among veterans,
including suicidality. In doing so we
must maintain a focus on well-being
outcomes more broadly and not just
on symptoms and conditions, ensuring
our goal remains assisting veterans in
living a meaningful and satisfying life in
all its domains.’
ARE YOU OK? – THE BUSHFIRE CRISIS
AND OUR MENTAL HEALTH
‘So the best thing to do is try to limit
disruptions as much as we can, get
“back to normal” (which can obviously
be difficult when communities have
physically been destroyed). Re-establish
routines as quickly as possibly and reconnect
with familiar support networks,
particularly for children who will benefit
from familiarity and consistency. ‘
STUCK SOMEWHERE BETWEEN
SURVIVING AND THRIVING?
‘One meaningful goal can be as easy as
trying to being honest when someone
asks, “How are you?” Instead of going
straight to our default reply of saying
“Great!” try answering honestly.
“Actually, I’m languishing at the
moment.” ‘
WHY DOES EVERYTHING FEEL WORSE
AT 3:00AM?
‘You are not alone – those gremlins
can be persistent. It is all about how
you talk to yourself. If you are feeling
anxious about the problems you have
journaled about earlier in the day,
remind yourself that you have already
thought about this problem, it is safely
tucked away in your worry journal with
some concrete action items already
planned.
If it is a “new” worry, or an irrational
gremlin that has crept in, the way we
talk to ourselves is still important.
Try to cut back on the negative inner
chatter that tends to go on at 3:00
a.m. and instead, have some positive
affirmations that you can throw back at
the anxiety monster. Yes – I AM a pretty
good person.’
Maybe another iteration of the
saying could be ‘All good things can
continue but may look different’ this
is because we have grown as a result
of the experiences. Endings can be
opportunities for new beginnings which
may be unwanted and uncomfortable
at the start but it is what we do with
them that gives us the real growth.
Our conversations about mental health
and illness have continued to change.
The key here is we are still talking
about it, still sharing, supporting and
accepting. This subject was taboo in
years gone by and to coin another
phrase ‘the cat is out of the bag’, we
know it exists and is very very real.
In recent years I have been encouraged
when reading the terms mental health
and wellbeing used together, which
is a hugely positive step forward from
where we were, with the term ‘mental
health’ often seen as a negative,
conjuring up thoughts and images of
mentally ill people regardless of the
definition being focused on what being
mentally well is.
“a state of well-being in which the
individual realizes his or her own
abilities, can cope with the normal
stresses of life, can work productively
and fruitfully, and is able to make a
contribution to his or her community”
The World Health Organization (WHO)
The struggle of mental health
awareness and the battle to reduce
the stigma has come far but we must
acknowledge we still have a way to go.
So, I leave you with the words from
someone who learnt to live with his
black dog.
‘Now this is not the end. It is not even
the beginning of the end. But it is,
perhaps, the end of the beginning.’
Winston Churchill
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au 16

Governments love to talk about
‘shared responsibility’ in a disaster –
but does anyone know what it means?
The devastating floods in
Queensland and New South Wales
have taken everyone by surprise.
People have been left to fend
for themselves while bickering
governments scrambled to provide
a coordinated and adequate
disaster response.
The intensity of the rainfall
may not have been possible to
predict, but having a clear roles
for governments, emergency
services, the military, the charity
sector, volunteers and individuals
is possible – and absolutely
necessary.
Our research
In upcoming research, we look at
disaster risk reduction policies at
the international, federal, state,
regional and local government
levels. We found all these
policies refer to the principle of
“shared responsibility” – yet none
adequately defines what this
means.
The research involved a detailed
analysis across 12 disaster polices
and pieces of legislation to identify
how vulnerable populations were
protected.

These included the National Disaster
Risk Reduction Framework, the
Australian Disaster Preparedness
Framework and the Australian
Emergency Management
Arrangements.
We found these documents repeat
terms such as “resilience” and
“shared responsibility” without clearly
defining the meaning or process
for implementation. And they fail
to specify who is responsible for
increasing “resilience”.
A move towards individual
responsibility
During the 1990s, there was a
growing sense the public had
become too reliant upon emergency
services and needed to develop their
own disaster management capacity.
A 2004 Council of Australian
Governments report on bushfire
management emphasised the idea
of “shared responsiblity”. From 2011,
the principle of shared responsibly
was embedded across federal and
state disaster policies to signal
individuals and households were
expected to develop their own
disaster resilience.
Academics understand “shared
responsibility” to be about
distributing obligations among
different groups or sectors. But
what sounds reasonable in theory
becomes messy and unworkable in
the midst of a crisis.
Studies have shown shared
responsibility actually means
“diffused responsibility,” making
it more difficult to determine
responsibility – and accountability.
Indeed, our research was unable
to determine who was actually
responsible for helping vulnerable
flood communities prepare for and
respond to disasters. There seemed
to be an assumption that volunteers
and the charity sector would mobilise
as needed.
Emergency Management
Arrangements
For example, the federal
government’s Australian Emergency
Management Arrangements aim
to establish “disaster resilient”
communities.
These guidelines explain the roles of
federal, state and local governments
and households. But the largest
portion of responsibility lies with
individuals. For example,
“It is the role and responsibility of
families and individuals to attain
the highest degree of physical and
financial self-reliance – before, during
and after an emergency.”
These arrangements suggest
government and the volunteer/
charity sector do not have the ability
or the responsibility to fully offset the
economic, social, cultural and human
losses incurred during a disaster.
They also assume the individuals are
responsible for adequate property
and personal insurance. This of
course is highly problematic as
insurance premiums escalate and
become unaffordable and some
regions become uninsurable.
Volunteers, charities and resources
All the legislation we examined
says managing and coordinating
volunteers is a local government job.
But this assumes volunteers
and charities will have adequate
resourcing, skills and capacity to
19
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handle disaster recovery. The recent
floods have shown much volunteer
activities is are largely unregulated,
with people having to take matters
into their own hands.
This is becoming more common
as structured programs like those
run through charities and state
emergency services struggle to retain
volunteers.
Some of these unregulated
volunteers have literally saved lives.
But some were in need of help
themselves or took advantage of the
situation to loot resources from flood
victims.
Blame games
Shared responsibility is also highly
susceptible to politicisation. We
have seen this play out since the
flood disaster hit, with continued
arguments between state and federal
governments.
Following criticism over the speed
and scale of federal assistance, Prime
Minister Scott Morrison argued
“States obviously respond to
emergencies. They run the SES [State
Emergency Service], they run the
police, they run the hospitals.”
Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar
also claimed the federal government
had to wait for state premiers to
declare an emergency and request
federal help before it could send the
military.
This is despite legislation which gives
the federal government power to
declare an emergency unilaterally.
(Incidentally, this law was introduced
following a recommendation from the
bush fire royal commission, following
confusion over responsibility for
emergency declarations).
At the local level, disagreements
have also erupted between opposing
members of local government
as to the adequacy of drainage
infrastructure, emergency alerts and
volunteer coordination.
These politically driven disagreements
are enabled by the ambiguity of
shared responsibility, and ultimately
undermine the effectiveness of
disaster response.
What needs to happen instead
Clearly we need a better
understanding of what “shared
responsibility” actually means.
Questions we need to answer
include:
• Who makes the decision over the
allocation of tasks at each stage
of the disaster?
• Have all relevant groups and
people been included in agreeing
upon this allocation?
• Have duties been communicated
and understood?
• Have allowances been made for
unexpected situations?
Until we have these answers, the
trauma of natural disasters will be
compounded by confusion, inaction,
political blame games and a lack of
resources. And it will be individuals
and vulnerable communities left to
pick up the pieces.
First Published on The Conversation
Authors:
Rowena Maguire
Associate professor, Law School,
Queensland University of Technology
Amanda Kennedy
Professor of Law,
Queensland University of Technology
Annastasia Bousgas
Researcher with the Centre for Justice and
Centre for Waste Free World,
Queensland University of Technology
Bridget Lewis
Associate Professor,
Queensland University of Technology
Melissa Bull
Director, QUT Centre for Justice,
Queensland University of Technology
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au 20

“What address do you need police?”
Poem by ESTA Police Call-Taker,
Marissa (Mujde) Ibrahim at Tally Ho
I prepare myself for the 12 hour shift,
It’s a Saturday night so I’m hoping it’s swift.
“What address do you need police?” I ask
Caller yells “I have a stalker…”
I take a breath and ask again.
“What address do you need police?”
“Victoria,” she replies, and “…he has a mask”
“What’s the address in Victoria?” I ask,
This is not an easy task.
“Oh my god!” she yells, “he’s coming in!”
I hear her yell, this is not fun
I need the address really quick
and now she picks up a stick.
“Don’t put yourself in any danger,
But it’s too late she’s confronted the stranger.
Next call is a domestic, three kids and a mother,
Arguing with a brother.
“What’s the address?” I ask,
The caller ignores my plea and yells “listen to me”.
Caller hangs up but I can’t give up.
Now a neighbour with a knife, this caller is in strife.
Next one is a noise complaint - loud music from next
door.
This caller has a go, says he called five minutes ago.
I tell him police will be there as soon as they can.
What he doesn’t know,
Is that they are at a stabbing again.
Next caller is no stranger,
It’s a police member
Calling to say there’s two in custody
And I breathe a sigh.
Now a nuisance caller full of abuse and laughter,
Holding up the emergency line is no laughing matter.
Next caller yells her partner is in a brawl,
With fists, weapons, and all.
You think of the caller stuck in this,
And the police members going out to this.
And now a mother yells out in anguish,
saying she’s lost her little boy.

Next caller says she is broke,
And wants police to get her smokes.
Says she’s feeling sorrow,
And can pay police back tomorrow.
And now cows on the road have gathered,
Causing a traffic hazard.
Next caller says she’s missed her train,
And demanding a lift home.
Now the caller is screaming,
Says her mum is not breathing.
This caller says her washing machine has flooded
And wants police to help her clean.
I tell her “it’s not a police matter”
And she thinks I’m really mean.
Next one is a cancellation, what a sigh of relief.
The ex-partner has left to her disbelief.
It’s time for my break
So, I breathe as I head out for air.
Hearing the call taker next to me
Asking, “What is your address?”
And I hear her despair.
Now it’s a cat that’s been run over,
I think of my own cat back at home.
I need to stay strong
To focus on what’s going on.
And now an elderly man whose lost his way
Caller says she’ll stay with him
To make sure he doesn’t stray.
Next caller says an offender has just left his house
And gives the address straight away
So, police are on the way.
I ask, “for a description and direction of travel?”
“Useless question” caller replies
And hangs up, despite my tries.
Oh I want to yell, police are on the way
But now they don’t know who to stop
If they pass him along the way.
We try our best to keep you on the phone
And when you get angry
We hear it in your tone.
Now we need a sergeant to bail a few drunks
Next caller is suicidal and says he wants to die.
Tells me “Not to bother, there’s nothing more to try”
Now it’s starting to rain and SES calls are pouring in
again.
Next caller sounds a mess
Saying she’s involved in an assault.
And says “It’s not my fault”
“What’s the address?” I ask,
“I don’t know,” she yells,
“Just get police fast!”
I hear her anger, tears, and fear
But I need the location to get police near.
“Just send the police!” she yells, “before he hits me
again.”
I know she’s distressed so I try again
In the meantime hearing the person hit her again.
Finally, I get the address,
I really did try.
I send it to the dispatch screen
As I breathe and sigh.
I hear the job go out on air,
Thank god, police are nearly there.
I ask some more questions to keep updating police.
I hear her panic as she thinks
I’m delaying police.
Everything we ask is so important, so let us ask
To complete the task.
We’re not holding up the police in any way,
They’re already heading out to help you in every way.
And sometimes we hear the sirens
as they come out to you,
And we give a sigh as we get off the phone from you.
And the police members that come to you,
are very good at what they do.
They’ve probably just come out of a brawl,
and you’d never even know it.
Maybe they’ve just delivered a death message,
and watched a father crumble to his knees.
They’ve probably caught a few crooks along the way,
or talked your best friend out of suicide.
Maybe they’ve just cleared from an armed hold up
Or just left a crash site
and fought with all their might to resuscitate.
You may not believe this but it’s true,
we have our share of sorrows too.
But when you call, it’s all about you
because that’s what we are here to do.
We go through a thousand emotions in a single day
but that’s ok, we’re trained to be that way.
We may not cry with you or act like your best friend
because it’s the police we are here to send.
We actually wonder what happened to you,
and look at the job to check on you.
“The little boy’s been found,” we say,
with the first smile on our faces for the day.
We never know what we are going to hear,
but just remember police are near.
You haven’t called by choice
We can hear it in your voice.
We can’t ask if you’ve had a nice day
Clearly, your day has not turned out that way.
We can’t small talk about the sunny weather,
for when you call none of that is a matter.
We are the Police Call-takers at 000.
We hope you never have to call, but if you do…
We are here and ready to take your call.
“What address do you need police?”

COMING OF AGE: RESEARCH SHOWS
OLD FORESTS ARE 3 TIMES LESS
FLAMMABLE THAN THOSE JUST
BURNED

As coal-fired climate change makes bushfires
in Australia worse, governments are
ramping up hazard-reduction burning.
But our new research shows the practice
can actually make forests more flammable.
We found over time, some forests “thin”
themselves and become less likely to
burn – and hazard-reduction burning
disrupts this process.
What does that mean as Australians face
a more fiery future? Is there a smarter
and more sensitive way to manage the
bushfire risk?
To find out, we looked at the forests of
south-western Australia, where hazard-reduction
burns are very frequent.
Lessons from Black Summer
Hazard reduction burning, also known as
prescribed or controlled burning, is the
practice of deliberately burning off flammable
material in a forest, such as leaf
litter, grasses and shrubs. It aims to slow
the spread of any subsequent bushfires
by reducing the amount of fuel available.
In the summer of 2019-20, the Black
Summer bushfires ravaged Australia’s
south-east. In the decade before the
fires, the New South Wales National
Parks and Wildlife Service doubled the
area of prescribed burns compared to
the previous decade.
In fact, the area of national park burned
that decade was the largest in the state’s
history. But as we now know, it had little
effect.
Where prescribed burns had very recently
been carried out, the bushfires were
marginally less severe, about half of the
time. But the bushfires ultimately burned
ten times more forest than any other
Australian forest fires on record.
Forests control their own flammability
We wanted to measure how past fires –
planned and unplanned – affected the
bushfire risk in the forests of Australia’s
south-west.
This 530,000 hectares of forest spans the
dry jarrah and tuart near Perth, down to
Margaret River and east, through tall wet
karri and tingle forest, to Denmark and
Albany.

We examined official records showing
where fires had burned over 65 years
in national parks. The results were
stark.
Forests were unlikely to burn for five
to seven years after a prescribed
burn. This finding supported earlier
work in the same region. But there’s
more to the story.
Other studies have shown fires
cause a massive flush of understorey
growth in WA’s karri and jarrah
forests.
During bushfires, the understorey is
the main driver of large flames which
cause destructive crown fires.
Our research corroborated these
earlier findings. We found as the understorey
grew back, becoming taller
and denser, fire risk greatly increased
for the next 37 to 49 years.
The trend did not change as the
climate warmed from the 1980s
onward, although the burned area
grew larger.
What about older forests?
Ecologists have long known shrub layers
often “self-thin” as a forest grows.
Past studies in WA have shown 25
years after fire, there were 13 times
fewer shrub stems in karri forests. In
jarrah forests, only a quarter of the
previous understorey fuel remained
50 years after fire.
Since the 1800s in Australia, there
have been concerns that fire, including
prescribed burning, converts
self-thinned understoreys into dense
thickets.
But we didn’t know how self-thinning
affected the flammability of older
forests in Australia’s southwest. Our
research set out to find the answer.
As the below graph shows, 43 to 56
years after a fire, the forests had
thinned their shrub layers. We found
this meant they were, on average,
seven times less likely to carry a
bushfire than forests burned more
recently.
In other words, burning made forests
on average seven times more flammable
for 43 to 56 years.
Graph showing the mass of fine shrubs in a forest in the years following fire, taken from figure 5-7 at
https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/10037. Philip Zylstra
In the hottest and driest climate conditions,
old, self-thinned forests even
out-competed recent prescribed
burns – those up to seven years
old. Bushfires were three times less
likely in old forests than they were in
recent prescribed burns.
Our previous work in the Australian
Alps found similar trends; mature
forests there are dramatically less
likely to burn.
Cooperating with country
Early Australian colonists recorded
many Australian forests as park-like
with open understoreys.
This reflected First Nations’ care
for country. In southwest Australia,
as in many parts of the continent,
Indigenous fire use was precise and
focused. Unlike prescribed burns,
Indigenous practitioners did not
attempt to burn vast areas at once.
Instead, they cooperated with natural
processes such as self-thinning, so
country was allowed to age.
Australia’s forests have controlled
their own fire risk since they were
part of the Gondwana super-continent.
We should respect, rather
than disrupt, these ancient natural
processes.
Cooperating with country today
means moving away from prescribed
burning across large areas. Frequent
burns may be useful only close to
homes, or in other locations where
we know with confidence they can
achieve an ecological goal or help
firefighters stop a burning edge.
Elsewhere, we should work with
forest landscapes and allow them to
become open again. We can support
this process by refocusing fire
management to quickly suppress fire
when it does break out.
First published on The Conversation
Authors:
Philip Zylstra
Adjunct Associate Professor at Curtin University,
Research Associate at University of
New South Wales, Curtin University
David Lindenmayer
Professor, The Fenner School of Environment
and Society, Australian National
University
Don Bradshaw
Emeritus professor, The University of
Western Australia
25
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au

ARE
THEY
TRIPLE
OK?
Look beyond the uniform of your peers and
family and friends in the emergecy services
and ask “are you OK?”
Learn more ruok.org.au

Sleep loss affects how paramedics
and health-care workers respond
to patients’ feelings

A lack of sleep affects people’s ability to feel for others. Sleep
deprivation and emotional fatigue can hit anyone, but first
responders and health-care workers are especially vulnerable
due to shift work, long hours and the overall stressful nature
of their jobs.
This is relevant during a pandemic when the health-care
systems of many countries have been overwhelmed by the
increasing number of people in hospitals.

Our research found that sleepdeprived
paramedics are less able
to understand how their patients
feel.
Impact of sleep loss on mood and
emotions
I am a cognitive neuroscientist
studying how the brain thinks and
solves problems. My research
focuses on how when you don’t
sleep, you can’t react as quickly,
remember information, solve
problems, make plans, multi-task or
regulate and understand emotions
as well as you could if you were well
rested.
It’s well known that not getting
enough sleep alters mood and
emotions — think how grumpy you
feel the next day if you stay up all
night studying. But we know less
about how lack of sleep impacts
more complex emotional processes.
Moods and emotions are often
thought of as the same thing. In
reality, they are very different.
Moods are short-lived, are not
linked to a particular event and
are either positive or negative.
Remember the last time you had
Our findings were clear:
Sleep-deprived students felt less
empathy for people in negative
situations than students who
had had a good night’s sleep.
a “mood swing?” You felt great and
then terrible, but may not have been
able to pinpoint the cause.
Emotions are learned responses
to situations or people. They come
in different shades and intensities.
For example, the emotion of fear
may come at the sight of a bear
in the woods. It’s hard enough to
understand our own emotions, but
what about understanding other
people’s emotions?
Impact of sleep loss on empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand
someone else’s emotions — to put
yourself in someone else’s shoes.
In 2014, in collaboration with
Neurolab, which is directed by
cognitive neuroscience professor
Giuseppe Iaria, we designed a study
to understand how a single night
without sleep would impact people’s
ability to understand the emotions
of others.
To do this, we developed a
computer test that shows
participants images of people
in negative, positive and neutral
situations. For example, we showed
people in pain, people laughing and
dancing or people just sitting at a
table. We then asked participants to
first describe what the people in the
photo were feeling, and then how
strong their own emotions were
while looking at the pictures.
We used this test to measure
empathy in a group of university
students. First we tested everyone
to understand how empathetic they
were normally. Then we had a group
spend the night in the lab where we
kept them awake by playing board
games, socializing and watching
movies. After they had been awake
all night, we re-tested them and
compared their results to students
who were sent home to have a good
night of sleep.
Our findings were clear: Sleepdeprived
students felt less empathy
for people in negative situations
than students who had had a good
night’s sleep.
But is it only extreme sleep
deprivation, like staying up all night,
that triggers this change?
We found that chronic poor sleep
quality was also linked with lower
empathy for others. One group of
people that experiences chronic
sleep loss due to job schedule is
paramedics.

Research shows overworked health-care professionals are less empathetic to their patient’s needs as compared to when they are well-rested
Paramedics have poor sleep quality
Following a shift work schedule for
many years affects paramedics’
sleep quality. Paramedics are also
the first to respond to patients in
stressful and traumatic situations,
so having empathy is an important
part of their job.
Using the same computer task that
we previously used with students,
we tested paramedics with more
than five years of experience, and
trainees who were studying to
become paramedics. We found
that the experienced paramedics
reported poor quality of sleep and
low empathy compared to trainees.
They also told us about their years
of sleep issues and how they felt
numb to other people’s pain.
Emotional numbing, lack of empathy
and sleep disturbances are some
of the symptoms experienced
by people who suffer from posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD).
These symptoms increase the risk
of suicide. According to Canadian
statistics from the Centre for Suicide
Prevention, first responders are
twice as likely to experience PTSD
than the general population. About
22 per cent of paramedics will
develop PTSD at some point in their
life.
We found that the experienced
paramedics reported poor quality of
sleep and low empathy compared to
trainees. They also told us about their
years of sleep issues and how they felt
numb to other people’s pain.
During the coronavirus pandemic
frontline workers worldwide are
experiencing more symptoms of
insomnia, anxiety, depression and
PTSD. Recent media coverage has
helped bring this to the public’s
attention, reporting on a dramatic
shortage of staff and poor working
conditions in many provinces in
Canada during the third and fourth
waves. However, the policy-makers
tend to fall behind.
Our research shows that
overworked health-care
professionals are less empathetic
to their patients’ needs compared
to when they are well-rested. This
finding should guide policy to
ensure our health-care workers
get the rest they need to help their
patients to the best of their abilities.
We are currently conducting
a survey investigating links
between sleep and emotions
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are especially interested in
understanding these relationships
in paramedics and health-care
workers, and are recruiting
participants.
Veronica Guadagni
Postdoctoral Fellow, Cognitive Neuroscience,
University of Calgary
First published on The Conversation
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au 30

ON THE FRONTLINE
Vol ii - Final Report of the Independent
Review into Workplace Equality in
Ambulance Victoria
In October 2020 Ambulance Victoria requested the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights
Commission (VEOHRC) to conduct an independent review into workplace inequality within the organisation.
This review was requested after multiple reports from within the organisation of alleged discrimination,
sexual harassment, victimisation and bullying.

FURTHER 19 RECOMMENDATIONS FROM VOL II OF THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW
• Increasing diversity on the Ambulance Victoria
Board
• Disrupting harmful stereotypes
• Prioritising conscious inclusion throughout the
recruitment lifecycle
• Removing structural barriers to career
advancement
• Advancing equal pay
• Removing structural barriers and embedding
flexibility into immediate and long-term
workforce planning and the employment lifecycle
• Implementing and tailoring the Think Flex First
Framework
• Monitoring the legal compliance and continual
improvement of flexible work practices
• Building knowledge, capability and accountability
• Creating reasonable adjustment policies,
expertise and strategy
• Improving long-term planning for transition to
retirement
• Strengthening workplace equality education and
training
• Embedding sustained learning and development
• Creating an operating environment where
capabilities can be realised
• Fully embedding workplace safety and equality in
risk management and health and safety systems
• Updating and strengthening governance
documents
• Board learning through reflective practice
• Organisational healing and culture change
through reflective practice
• A holistic and evidence-based information and
data plan and communications strategy
TO READ ALL RECOMMENDATIONS YOU CAN VISIT THE
VEOHRC WEBSITE AND DOWNLOAD THE REPORT
The review welcomed personal
statements and listened to the
experiences from within the
organisation of both past and current
employees. A confidential online
survey, confidential interviews,
focus groups, site visits and written
submissions were all part of the
collection of data that informed the
final report and recommendations.
Volume 1 was delivered at the end of
November 2021. This first part of the
final report focused on safety, respect
and trust. 24 recommendations
were made and all of these 24 were
accepted by Ambulance Victoria.
Since Volume 1 was released,
Ambulance Victoria has implemented
the following measures.
• consultations to hear and
understand staff feedback on
the report and senior leadership
reflective practice workshops on
learnings from the report
• appointing an interim Director
to plan and co-design the
new complaints and reporting
approaches
• advertising for an Executive
Director of the new Equality and
Workplace Reform Division and
scoping further roles for the
division
• convening a meeting of experts
to scope the restorative justice
scheme
• establishing governance and
oversights committees, including
a staff reference group, to
oversee implementation of the
reforms. (VEOHRC)
Volume II of the report was delivered
on 31 March 2022 along with a
further 19 recommendations. This
second part of the report focused in
on equality, fairness and inclusion.
Representation, pay gaps, flexible
working arrangements, retirement and
leadership development were the key
issues that this report and the next
recommendations from the VEOHRC
are based around.
A key finding from the review found
that women and workers from
diverse backgrounds have barriers to
promotion and career progression.
In addition to this, it was found the
organisation was lacking in diversity
within the workplace and this
representation should be reflected in
senior operational roles.
In regards to work flexibility and
parental support there was still
some foundational work to be done.
From the confidential interviews and
statements made, it was expressed
that there was a negative attitude and
approach toward flexible work with
many feeling unsupported in both
parental care and transitioning to
retirement.
Overall it has been remarked upon
by the commission that there has
been an erosion of trust within the
organisation as the experiences of
employees did not reflect the stated
values and priorities of Ambulance
Victoria.
In total there have been 43
recommendations made to
Ambulance Victoria as a result
of the independent review.
Ambulance Victoria has accepted all
recommendations and have begun
the implementation process.
The commission remains connected
to Ambulance Victoria for support
and guidance throughout the
implementation process and
will conduct a public audit in
2023 to garner how effective the
implementation strategies have been.
You can read the full report here and
the following 19 recommendations
from Volume II.

Authors:
Amanda Porter
Senior Fellow (Indigenous Programs),
The University of Melbourne
Ann Louise Deslandes
Independent journalist, writer and researcher,
University of Sydney
Crystal McKinnon
Indigenous Research Fellow,
RMIT University
Marlene Longbottom
Aboriginal Postdoctoral Research Fellow,
University of Wollongong
Women’s police
stations in
Australia: would
they work for
‘all’ women?
Proposals to expand police powers, to criminalise
coercive control and to establish specialist women’s
police stations have all occupied a prominent place in
Australia’s recent debate about responses to violence
against women.
The proposal to establish women’s police stations has
received a strong platform in mainstream media and
academic journals. It has also featured in debates
on policy development, such as in the Women’s
Safety and Justice Taskforce currently underway in
Queensland.
In the local and global movement for Black and
Indigenous lives where associated campaigns are
asking the public to scrutinise police powers and to
discuss defunding police, many Australian feminists
have been advocating for punitive solutions to
domestic violence.
But there is currently no credible evidence to support
the implementation of women’s police stations, and
the research underpinning the proposal in Australia is
problematic in several ways.
What are women’s police stations?
Specialist women’s police stations are designed to
respond specifically to violence against women. They
have been a feature of policing in Argentina, Brazil
and other Latin American countries since the late
1980s, as well as parts of Africa and Asia.
Some women’s police stations adopt a
“multidisciplinary” approach to policing domestic
violence. They are staffed with teams of police who
work alongside social workers, psychologists and
lawyers. However, women’s police stations are still
police stations.
They vary in appearance, with some colourfully
designed with play rooms for children and welcome
rooms that are decorated with flowers and murals.
Their mandate is to provide services for women. It’s
unclear whether the stations provide support for
people who identify as women outside of the cisgender
binary.

What does the research say?
To date, Australian news reporting on women’s police stations
has relied almost exclusively on research led by Australian
criminologist Kerry Carrington.
Journalists and commentators have frequently used this research
to report on and advocate for the establishment of women’s
police stations in Australia. Investigative journalist Jess Hill states:
We don’t get cops to fight fires or drive ambulances, because
that’s considered specialist work. So why don’t we just take the
police who love responding to family violence […] and create a
parallel force? […] It’s a proven model that’s existed across Latin
America (and various other countries) for 35 years.
The evidence presented in favour of women’s police stations is
largely drawn from two original studies. Both studies were led by
Professor Carrington at the Queensland University of Technology.
The first was a study undertaken in Argentina over a three-month
period.
This research included interviews with 100 employees from
ten women’s police stations in the Buenos Aires province of
Argentina. The research participants represented were selected
by the province’s Ministry of Security - who the police station
reports to.
The second study drew on the findings of 2 surveys conducted
in Australia on attitudes towards the proposal of women’s police
stations.
These two surveys were: one “workforce” survey, which was
distributed to Australian police officers, non-governmental
organisations and case workers; the second “community” survey,
with recruitment of Australian adults via Facebook advertising.
The second study found people thought women’s police stations
could improve the policing of gender violence in Indigenous
communities in Australia if staffed by appropriately trained teams
working from both gender and culturally sensitive perspectives.
The authors of the study concluded:
“ adapted to an Australian context where Indigenous women are
many times more likely to experience domestic family violence,
these specialist police stations will need to be appropriately
staffed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous officers trained to
work from both gender and culturally sensitive perspectives.”
Issues with the studies
There are several concerns with both studies.
In relation to the study in Argentina - all 100 of the participants
were paid employees of the two police stations being researched.
Police officers made up 79%, and 21% were lawyers, social
workers or psychologists employed by or otherwise engaged with
the two police stations selected for the study.
The study doesn’t consider how the research participants’
statuses as employees of the police stations may have influenced
their views.
A second concern is the study didn’t include interviews with
survivors or their families or support networks. It also didn’t
include interviews with the communities where the stations were
located.
A third limitation (which the authors acknowledge), is the study
does not examine whether these police stations reduced crime
rates, statistics of domestic violence or apprehended violence
orders.
In addition, no data is supplied about important factors to assess
the claims of the benefit of women’s police stations in other
matters related to domestic violence. Such as whether women’s
police stations increase access to legal supports or whether they
improve a person’s ability to report violence.
Finally, neither study examines whether there was a reduction
in crime rates or statistics of domestic violence, femicide or
apprehended violence orders.
It is difficult to assess the effectiveness of women’s police stations
without this data.
Evidence to suggest women’s police stations don’t work
Evaluations of women’s police stations have had mixed results.
For example, one recent evidence summary in India found
“all-women police stations did not improve services for gender
violence victims”. It found no improvement in reporting or
accountability with respect to women’s police stations in India.
And there is evidence to suggest women’s police stations are
not free from discrimination and violence, such as reports of
transphobia.
This paper from Spanish-language journal Delito y Sociedad
in 2020, reported female officers associated with La Plata
women’s police station apprehended and publicly searched ten
transgender women. The women said they were threatened
with being shot if they moved). They stated four of them were
detained for no reason other than their visibility as trans women.
All Women Police Station Tiruvannamalai, India. Wikimedia
The event led to widespread condemnation of the La Plata
women’s police station by transgender advocacy groups,
particularly as station staff at that time included a trans woman.
There is also the death of Úrsula Bahillo that indicates these
police stations aren’t always effective with protecting people who
35
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Indigenous women are more likely to report violence or seek support from staff within Indigenous organisations, not police nor non-Indigenous services.
experience domestic violence.
Bahillo reported violence from her policeman boyfriend to a
woman’s police station on at least 18 separate occasions. She
died three days after reporting her case to a women’s police
station in Buenos Aires province in February this year.
La Capital reported Bahillo’s family stated the women’s police
station “did nothing.”
BBC Mundo notes that:
“Úrsula Bahillo’s case became notorious for the repeated times
she asked for help, denounced her aggressor [to police] and was
not listened to.”
Policing studies conducted in Australia and the UK suggest simply
increasing the number of female police officers will never be
enough to improve discriminatory policing.
Despite female leadership in policing in Queensland, there have
still been reports of sexism and racism among police, including
police posting on social media that women lie about domestic
violence.
What about Black and Indigenous women?
We found very little research on the experiences of Black and
Indigenous women with women’s police stations, besides one
2010 report, looking at Latin America, which observed:
Indigenous and Afro-descendent women have limited access [to
women’s police stations] because few operators come from or
understand those cultures and few speak their languages.
Indigenous advocates have repeatedly drawn attention to the
police failure to protect Indigenous women and families.
An example of this involves the case of Tiffany Paterson, an
Aboriginal woman from the Northern Territory who was violently
assaulted after the Northern Territory Police failed to protect her.
Tiffany, who survived the attack, later sued the Northern Territory
Police on the grounds of negligence and settled on confidential
terms.
It is broadly understood in Indigenous communities that police
stations are not safe places for Indigenous people. They are also
not safe for Indigenous people to call upon for assistance, with
domestic or state-sanctioned violence.
We know Indigenous families and communities are often
frontline responders to domestic violence. Indigenous women
are more likely to report violence or seek support from staff
within Indigenous organisations, not police nor non-Indigenous
services.
We know policing of domestic violence plays a significant role
in the removal of Indigenous children from their families. The
deep mistrust of police within Indigenous communities is
acknowledged by police themselves.
Why women’s police stations are not the answer
Literature produced with Indigenous communities by Indigenous
and non-Indigenous scholars in Australia points to concrete
alternatives for Indigenous women and families experiencing
violence.
This includes community-based services and culturally safe legal
support services.
White feminists must listen to Indigenous peoples and
organisations who are at the frontline delivering evidence-based
early intervention and prevention services, as well as Indigenous
researchers with lived experience.
All those who have previously supported women’s police stations
should read this important work and reconsider their position.
Now is a crucial time for these discussions, on the 30 year
anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in
Custody, and with Indigenous incarceration rates increasing
and the preparation of a new ten year National Plan to address
violence against women and children.
Article first published on The Conversation
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au 36

The royal commission into
veteran suicide returned for
its second session of hearings
in February.
With one veteran dying by
suicide every two weeks
in Australia and evidence
veterans have poorer mental
health than Australians
overall, this work is urgent
and important.
But as the royal commission
investigates the risk factors
around veterans’ mental
health, it is missing a key part
of the puzzle: contact with the
criminal justice system.
Prison, veterans and mental
health
The royal
commission must
find ways to keep
veterans out of
jail
A key part of minimising the
risk of veteran suicide is
keeping veterans out of jail.
Time in prison is itself
associated with a higher risk
of suicide. There is also some
evidence veterans are overrepresented
in Australia’s jail
system compared to other
occupations.
Nationally, it has been
estimated nearly 3% of
defence force personnel are
arrested within a few years
of finishing their military
service. About 5% of those
who have left full-time military
service are reported as being
arrested or imprisoned.
We know many veterans
have complex mental health
disorders - such as PTSD -
as a result of their military
service, and this can lead to
criminal conduct and time in
prison.
In Australia, the mental health
of veterans who have been in
prison is not well understood.
Prison and military service
separately increase the
chance of suicide, and
this tends to indicate that
veterans who have been
in jail have a significantly
increased risk of suicide.
Recognition is not enough
on its own
Military service - including
training and deployment -
can of course be traumatic
and dangerous. It is also
done on behalf of Australia.
Because of this, veterans are
owed a particular debt by
government and society.
In 2019, new federal
legislation recognised the
need to support veterans and
their families. But this was
largely a symbolic act. We
need proper investigations
into the complex, continuing,
and uncomfortable
consequences of military
service on veterans’ health
and welfare.
The key issue is how society
can best support veterans
returning to civilian life. This
includes strategies to prevent
veterans ending up in the
criminal justice system, but
also offer specialised support
to those who do.
Specialist veterans courts
This sort of support already
exists in the United Kingdom
and United States. In the US,
for example, eligible veteran
defendants have a specialist
pathway out of the criminal
justice system through
veterans’ treatment courts.
In general, these courts
provide treatment to veterans
who have committed
nonviolent crimes and are
suffering mental health
disorders related to military
service. A growing body of
evidence suggests these
courts are more successful at
preventing re-offending than
jail time, and also improve
the health and well-being of
participants.
Could this work in Australia?
There are several similar
models in operation in
Australia, including the
NSW drug court and mental
health courts for other at-risk
groups such as those with
drug addictions and serious
mental illnesses.
A veterans’ court would
be a problem-solving
court, with an emphasis
on rehabilitation, allowing
service providers and veteran
peers to work with veterans
to move away from criminal
conduct.
Individuals participating in
veterans’ court processes
may have their sentence
suspended or their
sentencing hearing deferred
while they complete a drug
treatment program or
other treatment option. On
successful completion of the
program, the individual may
even avoid a prison term.
What next for the royal
commission
The royal commission will
provide an interim report
by August 11 2022 and a
final report by June 15 2023
– so there is still time for a
thorough consideration of
veterans’ contact with the
criminal justice system.
This is relevant under the
terms of reference. While
they do not specifically
mention
the courts
or criminal
justice system,
they do include “systemic
issues and any common
themes among defence and
veteran deaths by suicide”.
Further work with veterans’
bodies in Australia will be
necessary to determine
the feasibility of and
demand for veterans’
courts. But once
this work is done,
such courts could
provide a practical,
evidenced-based
way to help those
who have served
our country.

Authors:
Arlie Loughnan
Professor of Criminal Law,
University of Sydney
Clare Davidson
Research fellow,
The University of Western Australia
Sarah Murray
Professor specialising in public law and
less-adversarial justice,
The University of Western Australia
Article first published on The Conversation

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
In each edition of the Australian Emergency Services Magazine
we feature a profile on a person, team, partnership, squad or
unit to showcase their unique contribution to the emergency
services industry. If you would like to be featured or know
someone who deserves some recognition get in touch with our
team.
a member of the Horsham
Unit since 2008, Kieran has
undertaken more than 50
rescues.
Kieran said he’s “always had
a passion for rock climbing,
which started when I was
17”.
He has been climbing for
almost 50 years. Kieran
has extensive rock climbing
experience across the world,
including in Europe, America
and New Zealand. One of
the reasons why his family
decided to move to Natimuk
was to be closer to Mt
Arapiles and the Grampians
due to his passion for rock
climbing.
Kieran was inspired to
get involved with VICSES
when he saw a series of
bad accidents in the 80’s
and 90’s which resulted in
several fatalities.
While he also responds to
road crash accidents, more
than 75% of rescue jobs
he’s involved with are high
angle rescues either in the
Grampians or Mt Arapiles.
Every year Kieran may
respond to several high
angle rescues within the
Mid West Region as well
as assisting Ambulance
Victoria with other climbing
accidents.
Kieran said that “… accidents
we respond to encompass
the full range of climber skill
level from novice to expert
climbers”.
Mt Arapiles is world
renowned for having climbs
that cater to a very broad
range of skill levels. When
climbers push themselves
beyond their capability they
sometimes get into trouble.
Kieran said “we are lucky
to have 12 high angle
accredited responders
within SES and CFA in the
Natimuk and Horsham area.
We regularly undertake multi
agency high angle training
with our local high angle
operators to maintain our
skills and continue to build
relationships with CFA.
Thanks to VICSES for article
and images.
Kieran Loughran assisting with repairing roof damage to buildings in Horsham
as a result of the December 2020 Tornado.
Kieran Loughran
HORSHAM UNIT: VICSES
Kieran Loughran, Horsham Unit Officer and
Technical Rescue Instructor at VICSES, has had a
passion for climbing since he was 17. He utilises
his very specific skills and understanding when
responding to rescues at the very dangerous Mt
Arapiles and the Grampians.
Kieran Loughran’s extensive
rock climbing skills and
experience is evident when
he responds to rescues
at Mt Arapiles or the
Grampians.
VICSES are very lucky to
have such a highly skilled
high angle operator and
technical rescue instructor
to assist with responding
to rescues that regularly
occur at Mt Arapiles and the
Grampians.
Outside of VICSES Kieran’s
high angle rescue skills are
renowned across Victoria
within the Victoria Police
Rescue Coordination Centre
and the CFA. While being
A VICSES member undertaking high angle training at Mt Arapiles.
VICSES and CFA member undertaking high angle training at Mt Arapiles.
39
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au

Thank you
SES volunteers
Wednesday
18 th May 2022
#ThankyouSES

Book Review
There are some incredible books out there about the trials and tribulations,
heartbreak and satisfaction of working within the emergency services sector.
We aim to bring you some great recommendations within each issue. If you
have a book to recommend for our reviews, get in touch.
THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY
PARAMEDIC - STUDENT HANDBOOK
Author: Tammie Bullard
Follow Tammie Bullard on socials @gbuparamedic
Tammie Bullard is an Australian
author with a passion for prehospital
professionalism and patient care. Her
experience includes a range of hands-on
and educational roles. From emergency
ambulance paramedic, preceptor and
clinical trainer to university lecturer and
co-ordinator. Through all of which she
has been fortunate enough to teach,
and continue to learn from, countless
colleagues worldwide.
For the duration of her academic
journey from undergraduate to
postgraduate qualifications in intensive
care paramedicine, and a master’s
degree in critical care, her enthusiasm
has steadily increased. Along with a
fascination for the cultural chatter
around human-centred approaches and
attitudes within EMS.
Over a decade’s worth of scribbled notes
from conversations with medics and
students have been gathered together
in a series of books. Written to provide
effortless tools for self-reflection in every
paramedic with a desire to excel in this
rewarding role.
Are you mentally ready for the
reality of making an ambulance your
everyday office?
Is it your hope to end every shift
without second guessing your
actions or inactions?
Do you want to follow the crowd,
or create your own professional
approach with intent?
Becoming a newly qualified
paramedic or EMT is like a juggling
act. With hands and minds full of
ambition, fresh ideas, hard earned
expertise and newly acquired
knowledge, it can be challenging to
maintain the high standards that
you’re desperate to deliver. Even
the best of intentions will be difficult
to deploy, without recognising
what’s important, or why. This
book is your guide to growing good
habits, so that little of the bad and
even less of the ugly can creep in
along the way.
While training and education deal
with the standalone skills, minimal
time remains to devote to the
biggest learning curve of all. Putting
everything together into one
professional, compassionate and
satisfying package. If you’re looking
for checklists to tick, flick and forget,
this is not the book for you. But
if you prefer to craft an individual
brand of outstanding emergency
care with intent, everything you
need is right here.
Nothing clinical will be covered. No
tips or tricks on specific techniques.
It’s all about attitude to the humancentered
skills that will set you up
for success, ready to hit the ground
running. A self-development style
handbook, for students at any stage
of preparation for a prehospital
career.
• Work on ways to bring out your
best, so you provide nothing
less than you would expect for
your loved ones.
• Think through the things that
may prove inwardly challenging,
before they arise in reality.
• Fine tune your focus and
create proactive plans to avoid
unnecessary incidents or
unwanted events.
• Design a mindset that matches
your moral compass, and
satisfies those who depend on
your dedication.
Through its friendly, conversational
and easy to follow format, The Good,
The Bad & The Ugly Paramedic
Student Handbook puts you firmly in
the driving seat of your own destiny
toward the job of your dreams.
As an author with over a decade of
experience in paramedic practice,
precepting and teaching, Tammie
Bullard is passionate about
supporting newcomers, on their
path toward prehospital care. Book
#1 in the GBU Paramedic series, this
handbook is designed to give every
reader the insight and incentive to
bring out their best in every aspect
of EMS.
Imagse & Synopsis - Amazon.com.au
41
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Book Review
‘From the day of its invention
the ambulance has attracted a
magnetic curiosity from humans
around the world. This vehicle
racing to the scene of accidents
and illness demands attention.
When you hear one coming, you
turn. When you watch it pass
you wonder, if only for a moment,
where it might be going, who is
inside and what horrific mishap
the patient has suffered. After
fifteen years spent in the back of
ambulances I’ve come to realise
that medics and paramedics are
endlessly fascinating to the public.
But despite our appeal, the truth
about us is largely hidden from
view. It is hidden because, in the
instant we drive past we have
carried our secrets away, leaving
nothing more than the wail of a
siren. We are hidden because
the usual depiction of paramedics
on film and television is mostly a
fantasy. The title of hero is forced
upon us, and what is lost is who
we really are.
As you read this, more than a
hundred thousand ambulance
medics across the planet are
responding to emergencies. They
are scrambling under crashed
cars, carrying the sick down flights
of stairs, resuscitating near-dead
husbands at the feet of hysterical
wives, and stemming the bloodflow
of gunshot victims in seedy
back alleys. A good number too
are just as likely to be raising
an eyebrow at some ridiculous,
trivial complaint their patient
has considered life threatening
enough to call them for.’
PARAMEDICO:
AROUND THE
WORLD BY
AMBULANCE
Author: Benjamin Gilmour
Images & Synopsis - Amazon.com.au
Find more books by Benjamin Gilmour at
www.benjamingilmour.com
Paramedico is a heart-stopping,
white-knuckle ride about a paramedic
at work in an ambulance, attending
emergencies in far-flung places such
as England, Iceland, Macedonia,
Mexico, Pakistan, The Philippines,
South Africa and Thailand - at the
time of the 2004 tsunami.
This is also a brilliantly written
collection of wild tales of wild people
whose lives are so different from
our own that it’s hard to believe they
really exist. Gilmour is able to make
us stop and think not only of how to
live a life, but how precious life is and
how important it is to protect it.
Benjamin Gilmour is the
filmmaker behind the acclaimed
feature film ‘Son of a Lion’ (2008)
selected for the Berlinale, feature
documentary ‘Paramedico’ (2012)
and Afghan drama ‘Jirga’ (2018).
He has also written two
bestselling books, ‘Warrior Poets’
(2008) about his time living
among the clans on the Pak/
Afghan border and ‘Paramedico’
(2012) about his work on
ambulances around the world.
TEN FEET TALL
AND NOT QUITE
BULLETPROOF
Author: Cameron Hardiman
Images & Synopsis - Amazon.com.au
Cameron Hardiman lived a life
most young boys could only
dream of. Every morning he put
on a navy blue police flight suit,
grabbed his flight helmet, and
prepared to work on the police
helicopter. He could be called to
anything during a shift, to search
for a missing child, to pull an
injured driver from a wrecked car,
or a dangerous sea rescue.
He saw his fair share of trauma
and dealt with it like most coppers
would: he quickly put each
dangerous job out of his mind
as soon as it was over. But one
particular rescue in Bass Strait
brought about a reckoning - and
Cameron was never the same
again.
This is the brilliantly told,
white-knuckle story of one cop
learning every lesson the hard
way - and coming to find out
that being not quite bulletproof
doesn’t mean that you’re not a
good cop.
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au 42

TRAVEL
EMERGENCY
Breaks
Words: Brooke Turnbull

Now we’re coming into the colder months,
let’s get ready for all things winter. Hot
chocolates, marshmallows toasted on fire pits,
warm, knitted jumpers and, of course, winter
holidays! Australia is a lucky country indeed
to be able to, in the same season, head north
to the tropics and enjoy a beach holiday,
or head south to the ski fields and spend a
week or two hitting the slopes by day and
getting rugged up by the fire at night. There
are a number of ski fields to choose from in
Australia, from Thredbo, Mount Buller and
Falls Creek among others. This issue we’re
focusing on Mount Perisher, because we did
the comparison of things like number of slopes,
affordability and nightlife, so you didn’t have
to (you’re welcome) and this one came out
overwhelmingly on top.
Location:
Mount Perisher is located in the New South Wales side
of the Australian Snowy Mountains, Perisher Valley ski
resort is an amalgamation of four separate villages that
sit at the base of the mountain: Perisher Valley, Smiggin
Holes, Guthega and Blue Cow. Perisher came out on top
when it comes to accessibility, as it has its own regional
airport.
The quickest and easiest way to get into Perisher is
by regional airlines like Rex and Qantas-link, however
there is a helicopter option that will meet your plane
at Sydney airport. If you’re originally from Sydney or
are planning to hire a car from the airport it’s a 5-6
hour drive in good weather. Hot tip: make sure your
insurance cover is specifically for snow and includes
snow chains. The weather can get gnarly pretty quickly
and the last thing you want in a hire car, or your own
car, is to be stuck without snow chains and staring
down the barrel of a blizzard or some black ice. Also,
if you’re driving, remember to purchase your National
Park Pass prior to entering the national park!

Things to Do:
Obviously, given the fact that Perisher is the largest ski resort
in Australia, the main thing to do there, or any of the snow
fields, when visiting in peak season is make use of the slopes.
Whether you’re a skier or a snowboarder, this will probably
take up a good chunk of your time. If you’re a novice and
have never visited snow before, let alone put on some skis,
the Perisher resort has access to both group and private
lessons that will get you on at least some beginner, if not
intermediate, runs in no time.
There is something for everyone at Perisher - kids lessons are a must
In the summertime, Perisher offers a wide array of hiking and
mountain biking trails that are perfect for the adventuring
soul to take advantage of, and in the winter these same
trails make for perfect cross country ski adventures! Perisher
resort boasts over 100kms of incredible cross-country trails,
perfect for a big day out. Perisher also offers an exciting
opportunity to ski or snowboard under the stars, with their
night skiing trails. Weather permitting, these night skiing
opportunities are available on Tuesday and Saturday nights.
The cost of a daily lift pass in Perisher for 2022 is released
closer to the snow season beginning, around end of May
or early June, but get in quickly as these passes sell out.
Depending on the time you go day tickets range from $140-
180 per day, with daily prices lowering the longer you stay.
Alternatively, you can take advantage of the Epic Australia
pass for $999 per person. This pass gives you lift access
for the whole season across all Australian snow fields. An
unbelievable deal to really enjoy all that the ski resorts across
Australia have to offer.
One of our top recommendations is Tube Town. A perfect
activity for all snow abilities and great fun for the whole
family, especially if you’ve got young kids. Pick up a toboggan
and get carried up the hill by the cable, before riding swiftly
back down on your tube, screaming the whole way down,
no doubt. Tobogganing is an included activity with your lift
passes, so take advantage of your time and the ability to push
the kids down a hill for fun!
Tube Town at Perisher - fun for the whole family
In addition to the epic snow adventure that comes with
heading to Perisher, skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and
everything else that comes with it, the Perisher resort is
also famous for its nightlife and tantalizing restaurants. Our
recommendations for a place to hang out, listen to some
great acoustic acts (or even a DJ or two!) and enjoy a wine by
an open fireplace, is The Overflow Bar. One of Perisher’s best
hang outs with one of the most epic views of the fields that
any bar can boast. Our top recommendation for an excellent
meal is the Base 1720 Bar & Restaurant. Atmospheric, cosy
and offering up delicious meals at a buffet breakfast, or a la
carte lunch and dinner, Base 1720 is located at the Perisher
Manor and is the perfect place to recharge after a big day on
the slopes.
Places to Stay:
Our usual offerings of three separate hotels for your budget
is a bit different this time around. Give that snow season
is peak season, your budget is going to be looking a bit
different. Expect to pay a little (or a lot) extra per night over
the ski season, but with the blue bird days and wintery, cosy
nights, it’s 100% worth it. However, we’ve worked long and
hard to bring you the best options with the best prices, as
always. So, let’s hop to it and get to the good part.
Perisher offers night time skiing and snowboarding
Our first option is the Lake Crackenback Resort and Spa. We
could absolutely not go past this option. First off, sitting on
45
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the banks of Lake Crackenback and offering picture perfect
views and a warm and inviting atmosphere, this place is
stunning. The hotel also offers a variety of different types of
accommodation, from suites to self-contained apartments,
there’s something here for everyone. Within 15 minutes of
both Perisher and Thredbo resorts, Lake Crackenback Resort
is a great place to stay to access all the snow play you could
ask for. They also have a conveniently located snow sports
and ski hire store and the ability to book group and private
lessons through their friendly team. So even if you’re a novice,
you’ve got a good jumping off point at Lake Crackenback.
Our favourite facility at this beautiful property is going to
have to be the spa. After a big day skiing, snowboarding or
generally just getting a little bit bruised and battered on the
slopes, there cannot be anything better than booking yourself
a spa day. The spa offers massages, facials and rejuvenating
treatments that will have you floating on air when you leave.
Lake Crackenback Resort and Spa is our top price option with
the Mountain View rooms starting at $445 per person per
night for two people.
The next option is Barina Milpara. Offering several options for
travelling groups, this is a great option if you’re travelling as a
couple or with friends, as it means you get to stay somewhere
warm and cosy but with excellent access to the ski lifts for
those early morning starts. Barina’s location means it has the
ability to offer complimentary over-snow transport on arrival,
departure and at the end of each day’s skiing. Barina also
includes a hot breakfast and hearty dinners prepared by their
in-house chef. As the rooms aren’t self-contained, this is a
great price effective inclusion if you’re not wanting to explore
the restaurant and nightlife around the Perisher Valley. The
Barina Milpara lodge operates on the idea that all their guests
are family, and they treat them as such. Which means you
have full access to the large, dining and lounge areas that
offer a cosy place to have a glass of wine around the fire,
read a book in a comfortable and private nook or play a
boardgame with your family and theirs. Starting at $250 per
adult per night, this is one of the best places to bunker down
for the night in preparation for the best snow trip you could
imagine.
Finally, our budget option is the Matterhorn Lodge. A very
popular option with families and groups because of the
great feel of the lodge, as well as its proximity to the slopes
and excellent bang for buck. Within minutes to the Perisher
Express Quad Chair, as well as the Perisher ski hire and
ticket offices, it’s a great place to put down your stuff and get
straight out onto the slopes. Featuring a large games room
with a TV, a number of games and a pool table to occupy
kids and adults alike. For those who just want to unwind, you
can do so in the adjacent lounge with a stunning log fire and
fully licensed bar offering delicious local schnapps as well
as local and international wines and beers. The Matterhorn
also includes a hot breakfast each morning and a delicious
3 course, set menu dinner each night, which will revive you
after a big day out on the snow. With prices starting from
$136 per person per night in shoulder season and with prices
lowering the bigger the group and the more nights your
stay, the Matterhorn is an excellent value for money option if
you’re heading to the snow this year.
Whether you’re a skier, snowboarder or just really enjoy cold
weather, the Perisher Valley ski season should be included in
any Australian travel bucket list. Enjoy the wintery, blue days
out on the snow and the cosy, chilly nights back in your hotel
with a glass of wine to congratulate yourself on mastering
your skills on the slopes.
Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa - make sure to check out the spa after a long day on
the slopes.
Barina Milpara Lodge - includes a hot breakfast and hearty dinners
Matterhorn Lodge - an excellent option for larger groups and families
www.ausemergencyservices.com.au 46

Ready. Set.
Give!
Emergency Services
Blood Challenge 2022
1 June - 31 August
Give life. Give blood.
blood challenge

16-22 MAY 2022
Better Together
National Volunteer Week 2022 Sponsors
Better Together
Volunteering brings people together; it
builds communities and creates a better
society for everyone.
National Volunteer Week is a chance for all
of us to celebrate and recognise the vital
work of volunteers and to say thank you.
Together, through volunteering, we are
changing communities for the better.
We are, Better Together.
volunteeringaustralia.org

ARE THEY
TRIPLE OK?
We’re always there to help.
Let’s make sure we help each other and ask R U OK?
ruok.org.au/triple-ok