News

SitRep 4/2026

February 13, 2026

2024 PERMANENT AND RETAINED AWARDS – UPDATE

Last week the IRC formally made the new 2024 Retained and Permanent Awards, rescinding the 2023 Awards.

These Awards are yet to be published in their final form on the IRC website, which is the new process under the Act for the Awards to be “Gazetted” and become formally enforceable.

Once the final versions are published, we will share the link with members and update the FBEU website.

Final discussions on the D&D Award are occurring, and we are hoping that the 2024 D&D Award will be made shortly as well, which will finally conclude the 2024 Award negotiations, just in time to start the next round.

Watch this space for a survey of members for the 2027 Award Log of Claims soon.

 

TRAVELLING COMPENSATION MEAL ALLOWANCES

If you are a Permanent Relieving Firefighter and you are directed to perform a relief duty outside of your fire district, the Department has agreed with the FBEU’s view that you are entitled to claim meal allowances under the travel compensation clauses of the Award.

You are entitled to travelling compensation meal allowances if your relieving shift outside your fire district falls into the below circumstances:

20.3.1.1 For breakfast when required to commence travel at/or before 0600 hours and at least one and a half hours before the normal commencing time, the amount set at Item 4 of Table 2 of Schedule 2.

 20.3.1.2 For lunch when, by reason of the journey, an employee is unable to take lunch at the place or in the manner in which the employee ordinarily takes lunch and is put to additional expense, the amount set at Item 5 of Table 2 of Schedule 2 or an amount equivalent to the additional expense, whichever is the lesser.

 20.3.1.3 For an evening meal when required to work or travel until or beyond 1830 hours and at least one and a half hours after the ordinary ceasing time, an amount set at Item 6 of Table 2 of Schedule 2.

These allowances are only claimable when a meal is not provided.

If you are or were a Permanent Relieving Firefighter and you believe you are owed this entitlement from any time over the past 6 years, please submit the allowance in ESS SAP, and if it’s refused, please fill out an industrial inquiry online or contact the Union office.

 

ATTENDANCE MONITORING AND FIREFIGHTER WELFARE POLICY

The requirement for an Attendance Management Policy was imposed on members after an order by the IRC in 2012 with no review or amendments since. It was an outdated policy that was resulting in unfair and unreasonable outcomes for firefighters. The Department refused to put the AMP on hold pending a new policy, so in 2024, a Code Red was issued, instructing firefighters not to engage in or impose the AMP until a new policy was developed. The Code Red was lifted on 26 September 2025.

Since that time there has been consultation between the Department and the Union and a new policy with a number of improvements has been implemented. In summary, the changes include:

• The ability for firefighters to proactively seek exclusion from the policy
• The ability for a firefighter to be excluded from the policy following discussions with their SO or next-in-line manager, rather than proceeding directly to a show cause letter
• Where “interventions” (previously known as sanctions under the old policy) are implemented, there are clear stages of implementation. Previously the entire range of sanctions was available for the relevant decision maker.
• The policy wording now has a focus on welfare as opposed to sanction and punishment. This is important in the event of disputes about the Department’s use of the policy.

Since the inception of this policy, the Union has placed multiple bans, and will continue to monitor the rollout of the policy to ensure it is not leading to unfair or unreasonable outcomes. Should we identify any unfair or unreasonable outcomes, further Code Reds will be considered.

If any members believe they have been unfairly targeted or treated unreasonably through the policy, they should fill out an industrial inquiry online or contact the Union office.

 

CODE RED LIFTED – STATION DESIGN GUIDELINES MEETING BAN

This notice is to rescind the Code Red regarding attendance at Station Design Guidelines meetings.

Some time after the Code Red was issued, the Department came back to the table and has committed to continuing consultation on the station design guidelines in good faith.

The parties will have their next meeting in the coming weeks with a view to finalising the guidelines.

In Unity,

Leighton Drury
State Secretary

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