NSW Legal Protections and Training Updates for Emergency Services and Volunteers

Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2026

24 Sep 2026: MPs in the first house are debating whether this bill is a good idea in principle.

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Assent

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Topics

bushfire management disaster prevention disaster recovery emergency services fire services infrastructure reconstruction volunteer protections

Introduced by: The Hon Jihad Dib MP (ALP)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Official page: bill text and explanatory notes

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

the NSW Reconstruction Authority can now conduct or facilitate disaster recovery training exercises as part of its official functions
the NSW Reconstruction Authority must consult the Planning Minister before making certain ministerial authorisations, and must report to Parliament on how it used its powers
employment protections and limits on personal liability for volunteers during emergencies are extended to volunteers in organisations named later by regulation -- not just established emergency services organisations
a seat on the Bush Fire Co-ordinating Committee can now be filled by a person nominated by the Minister on the recommendation of the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

Charishma Kaliyanda ALP

“I note the comments made by those members about the importance of supporting our emergency services organisations and driving continuous improvement across the sector. As Parliamentary Secretary I am privileged to see firsthand the incredible work that our emergency services personnel do every day. Without fault, each person takes their commitment to community service extremely seriously.”

Official source →

News articles and press releases

Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2026

Mr JIHAD DIB, Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government — 2026-03-25

The bill contains a range of proposals to amend several of the State’s emergency management laws, including the Fire and Rescue NSW Act 1989, the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022, the State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989, and the Rural Fires Act 1997. These changes include addressing recommendations from the Joint Select Committee on the NSW Reconstruction Authority’s Review of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022and improving protections available to emergency volunteers outside the emergency services organisations. The bill also makes minor amendments to remove ambiguity, improve governance and streamline administration to support the emergency management sector.