Rural Fires Ordinance 2001 (Jervis Bay Territory)

Jervis Bay Territory

Rural Fires Ordinance 2001

Ordinance No. 2 of 2001 as amended

made under the

Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act 1915

This compilation was prepared on 31 August 2005
taking into account amendments up to Rural Fires Amendment
Ordinance 2004 (No. 1)

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra

Contents

 1 Name of Ordinance [see Note 1]

 2 Commencement [see Note 1]

 3 Interpretation 

 4 Application in the Territory of certain laws of New South Wales             

 5 Interpretation of applied NSW laws 

 6 Repeal 

Schedule 1 Modification of NSW law 

Part 1 Rural Fires Act 1997

Part 2 Rural Fires Regulation 1997

Notes   

An Ordinance to provide for fire management services and for related purposes

1 Name of Ordinance [see Note 1]

  This Ordinance is the Rural Fires Ordinance 2001.

2 Commencement [see Note 1]

  This Ordinance commences on gazettal.

3 Interpretation

  In this Ordinance:

applied NSW law means a law of New South Wales mentioned in section 4 in its application in the Territory.

4 Application in the Territory of certain laws of New South Wales

  The Rural Fires Act 1997 of New South Wales and the Rural Fires Regulation 1997 of New South Wales, as in force at the commencement of this Ordinance, apply in the Territory as laws of the Territory, subject to the modifications set out in Schedule 1.

5 Interpretation of applied NSW laws

  The Interpretation Act 1987 of New South Wales has effect for the interpretation of an applied NSW law.

6 Repeal

  The following ordinances are repealed:

  Fire Management Ordinance 1997

  Fire Management (Amendment) Ordinance 1997.

Schedule 1 Modification of NSW law

(section 4)

Part 1 Rural Fires Act 1997

1 Long title

omit

2 Part 1, note

omit

3 Section 1

after

1997

insert

(NSW) (JBT)

4 Section 2

omit

5 Subsection 4 (1), note

omit

6 Subsection 4 (2)

after

Act 1989

insert

of New South Wales

7 Subsection 4 (3), note

omit

8 Sections 6 and 7

substitute

7 Delegation

  The Minister may, by signed instrument, delegate any of his or her powers or functions under this Act, other than this power of delegation, to any member of the Territory Rural Fire Service or the NSW Rural Fire Service.

9 Part 2, note

substitute

Note   This Part establishes the Territory Rural Fire Service, and provides for its composition, functions and management. The Service is to be managed and controlled by the Minister. The Minister is responsible for issuing the Service Standards, which are the guidelines in respect of the standard operating procedures to be followed by members of the Service.

10 Paragraph 8 (2) (a)

omit

Commissioner and other

11 Paragraph 9 (1) (b)

after

those organisations,

insert

including incidents and emergencies in New South Wales,

12 Paragraph 9 (1) (b), note

omit

13 Paragraph 9 (1) (b1)

omit

14 Subsections 9 (2) and (3)

omit

15 Paragraph 9 (4) (c)

omit

16 Part 2, Division 2, heading

substitute

Division 2 Staff of the Service

17 Sections 10 and 11

substitute

10 Appointment of fire control officer and deputy fire control officer

  The Minister may appoint:

 (a) a person as the fire control officer for the Territory; and

 (b) persons as deputy fire control officers for the Territory.

18 Section 12A

omit

19 Subsection 13 (3)

omit

20 Section 14

omit

21 Subsections 15 (1) and (2)

substitute

 (1) The Minister may form 1 or more rural fire brigades for the Territory.

22 Subsection 15 (3)

omit

on the initiative of the local authority or local authorities concerned or

23 Subsection 15 (4)

omit

24 Section 17

omit

25 Section 18, note

omit

26 Subsection 21 (2)

substitute

 (2) An officer of a rural fire brigade or group of rural fire brigades may exercise a function, conferred or imposed on the officer, at a fire, incident or other emergency in the Territory.

27 Section 27

omit

28 Part 2, Division 4, heading

substitute

Division 4 Fire control officer

29 Sections 36 and 37

substitute

37 Responsibility of fire control officer

  The fire control officer is, subject to any direction of the Minister, responsible for the control and coordination of the activities of the Service in the Territory.

30 Part 3, note

omit

31 Subsections 44 (2) and (3)

substitute

 (2) A person (the first delegate) to whom powers or functions under this Division have been delegated by the Minister under section 7 may, in writing, delegate any of those powers or functions to another person (the second delegate).

 (3) For subsection (2), the second delegate must be an officer or member of the Territory Rural Fire Service, an officer or member of the NSW Rural Fire Service, an officer of the Forestry Commission or an officer of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

 (4) If the first delegate is subject to directions in relation to the exercise of a power or function delegated under subsection (2), the first delegate must give corresponding directions to the second delegate.

 (5) A power or function that is exercised or performed by a person under a delegation under subsection (2) is taken, for the Act, to have been exercised or performed by the person who originally delegated the corresponding power or function under section 7.

32 Subsection 45 (1)

omit

local authorities, officers or members of New South Wales Fire Brigades,

33 Part 3, Divisions 2, 3, 4 and 5

omit

34 Subsection 63 (4)

omit

35 Subsection 63 (5)

substitute

 (5) In this section:

notified steps means any steps that are included in a bush fire risk management plan applying to the land.

36 Subsection 64 (2)

substitute

 (2) In this section:

appropriate officer means the nearest available officer or member of a rural fire brigade, fire control officer or deputy fire control officer or employee of the Department administered by the Minister.

37 Paragraphs 65 (1) (b) and (c)

omit

38 Subsection 66 (5)

substitute

 (5) The requirements and conditions specified:

 (a) must include any requirements specified in a bush fire risk management plan that is applicable to the land and is in force; and

 (b) may include a requirement or condition that the burning of fire breaks or of combustible matter or other material must be carried out by or under the supervision of:

 (i) the rural fire brigade specified in the notice; or

 (ii) an appropriate officer of the rural fire brigade; or

 (iii) any fire control officer.

39 Subsection 66 (6), note

omit

40 Subsection 66 (8)

omit

or 68

41 Subsections 67 (5) and (6)

omit

42 Section 68

omit

43 Subsection 69 (3)

omit

within the area of the local authority

44 Subsection 69 (3), note

omit

45 Subsection 70 (2)

omit

fire brigade or

46 Subsection 70 (5)

omit

47 Sections 73 and 74

omit

48 Subsection 76 (6)

omit

other than a local authority

49 Section 80

omit

50 Sections 81, 82, 83 and 84

substitute

81 Bush fire danger period

 (1) For this Act, the bush fire danger period for the Territory is:

 (a) the period starting on 1 October and ending on 31 March in the following year; or

 (b) if the Shoalhaven City Council specifies a different bushfire danger period for its local authority area — that period.

 (2) However, if the Shoalhaven City Council declares that there is no bush fire danger period for its local authority area, that declaration is also taken to have effect, according to its terms, for the Territory.

51 Section 85, definition of appropriate authority

substitute

appropriate authority, for a fire permit, means the Minister.

52 Section 88, heading

substitute

88 Lighting fires that are dangerous to buildings

53 Subsection 88 (1)

omit

within a local government area that is in a fire district

54 Subsection 92 (1), note

omit

55 Paragraph 93 (b)

omit

56 Subsections 94 (1) and 95 (2)

omit

57 Sections 96 and 97

omit

58 Subsections 99 (2), (3), (4) and (5)

substitute

 (2) An order in force under subsection (1) of the Rural Fires Act  1997 of New South Wales for the Shoalhaven Rural Fire District is taken to be an order by the Minister for the Territory.

59 Parts 5 and 6

omit

60 Section 126, heading

substitute

126 Information to be given to the Minister

61 Paragraphs 128 (2) (a), (d), (d1) and (e)

omit

62 Subsection 128 (2), note

omit

63 Subsection 134 (2)

omit

64 Sections 136, 137 and 139

omit

65 Schedules 1, 2 and 3

omit

66 Dictionary, definitions of Advisory Council, area and brigade member

omit

67 Dictionary, definition of bush fire danger period

omit

or 82

68 Dictionary, definitions of bush fire management plan, bush fire risk management plan, combat agency, Commissioner, Co-ordinating Committee, council, Crown land, Displan, emergency, emergency services organisation, fire brigade, fire control officer and fire district

omit

69 Dictionary, definition of fire fighting authority, paragraphs (b), (c) and (d)

omit

70 Dictionary, definitions of Fund, insurance company and local authority

omit

71 Dictionary, definition of managed land

substitute

managed land means land that is prescribed by the regulations for this definition.

72 Dictionary, definition of Management Committee

omit

72A Dictionary, after definition of members

insert

National Parks and Wildlife Service means the National Parks and Wildlife Service of New South Wales.

NSW Rural Fire Service means the NSW Rural Fire Service established under Part 2 of the Rural Fires Act 1997 of New South Wales.

73 Dictionary, definition of owner, subparagraphs (b) (iii) and (iv)

omit

74 Dictionary, definition of owner, paragraph (c)

omit

75 Dictionary, definition of public authority, paragraph (a)

omit

or local

76 Dictionary, definition of public authority, paragraph (d)

omit

77 Dictionary, definitions of rural fire district and Western Division

omit

78 Further modifications

Part 2 Rural Fires Regulation 1997

79 Clause 1

after

1997

insert

(NSW) (JBT)

80 Clause 2

omit

81 Clause 3, definition of appropriate appeal authority

omit

82 Clause 3, definition of appropriate disciplinary authority, paragraph (a)

omit

for a rural fire district

83 Clause 3, definitions of forestry land and NPWS land

omit

84 Clause 3, definition of responsible authority

substitute

responsible authority means the Minister.

85 Clause 3, definition of the Act

after

1997

insert

(NSW) (JBT)

86 Paragraph 8 (2) (c)

substitute

 (c) is convicted of an offence that would be punishable by imprisonment for at least 12 months if committed in the Territory, or

87 Clause 13

omit

88 Part 3

omit

89 Clause 19, heading

omit

inside rural fire districts

90 Clause 19

omit

inside a rural fire district

91 Clauses 31 and 32

omit

92 Clause 35

omit

, the Commissioner, the Bush Fire Co‑ordinating Committee

93 Clauses 36 and 37

substitute

36 Bush fire hazard reduction work required by the Minister

  For section 69 (2) of the Act, if the land is within 8 kilometres (or other distance specified in a bush fire management plan applying to the land) of Commonwealth land, the Minister must give a copy of the notice to an officer of the authority responsible for the Commonwealth land within 24 hours after giving the bush fire hazard reduction notice.

37 Bush fire hazard reduction work in default of compliance with notice

  A person who is authorised under section 70 of the Act to enter land and light a fire on land that is within 8 kilometres (or other distance specified in a bush fire management plan applying to the land) of Commonwealth land, must, at least 24 hours before the land is to be entered, give written notice, stating the time at which or the period within which the fire is to be lit, to an officer of the authority responsible for the Commonwealth land.

94 Paragraph 39 (1) (b)

substitute

 (b) for a function mentioned in subclause (2) (c) — it is exercised in accordance with an agreement between the fire control officer and the Minister.

95 Paragraph 39 (2) (a)

omit

96 Clauses 41, 45 and 46

omit

97 Schedule 1

omit

98 Schedule 2, Part 1, heading

substitute

Part 1 Offences under the Act

99 Schedule 2, Part 2, heading

substitute

Part 2 Offences under this Regulation

100 Further modifications

Notes to the Rural Fires Ordinance 2001

Note 1

The Rural Fires Ordinance 2001 (in force under the Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act 1915) as shown in this compilation comprise Ordinance No. 2 of 2001 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of Instruments

Table of Amendments