NSW councils looking for a quick fix to the ownership issues plaguing the Red Fleet have been left disappointed.

The NSW government has released its Response to the Parliamentary Accounts Committee’s (PAC) Inquiry into Assets, premises and funding of the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS).

Its response to the major recommendations that the assets be recognised as the property of the NSW RFS, has effectively been kicked down the road with the government deciding that an assets audit, condition assessments and business case must all be undertaken before a decision to transfer the assets is made.

A frustrated Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) chair, mayor Rick Firman OAM said: “After the comprehensive Inquiry that received 78 submissions and heard directly from multiple councils and other stakeholders, the government’s response is to call for further studies and reports which has the potential to push the resolution of this issue out by years.”

The CMA board and members applauded the government’s initiative to establish the 2025 Inquiry, hoping it would finally address the inefficiencies inherent in the current arrangements relating to the ownership and control of the state’s “rural firefighting equipment” known collectively as the “Red Fleet”.

“By a quirk of legislation, written over 25 years ago, councils are forced to reflect the Red Fleet assets on their books despite having no effective control over them, in any real sense, has long been a highly inappropriate situation,” Cr Firman said.

After several meetings with NSW Emergency Services Minister the Hon Jihad Dib MP and Treasurer the Hon Daniel Mookhey MLC, the CMA were hopeful that the inquiry’s recommendations could be accepted by the government.

“Both treasurer Mookhey and minister Dib have been generous with their time and candid with their comments, and we also acknowledge there has been much work done already to try and address this most important issue to our CMA board and our 96 members”, Cr Firman added.

“Despite our high hopes following the release of the Inquiry Report, the CMA is deeply disappointed by the government’s response to its most significant recommendations. The majority have either been “noted” or “not supported”.

“Our CMA board have written to minister Dib, to strongly encourage the minister to ensure the Red Fleet issue is resolved appropriately and in a timely manner. If further studies are required before the decision is made on the transfer is made, then those studies need to be undertaken without delay and of course funded by the state government” Cr Firman said.

A further meeting with minister Dib has been sought to amplify the issues of concern.

“The board and our members genuinely acknowledge and believe the NSW government wish to sort this issue out for us. We are taking them at their word and look forward to a fair dinkum and positive outcome”, Cr Firman concluded.

This article appeared in Narrandera Argus, 18 December 2025.