Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Country Fire Authority Act 1958 - SECT 23AA

Industry brigades

23AA. Industry brigades



(1) The Authority may from time to time in accordance with the regulations
designate areas in the country area of Victoria in which it is appropriate to
establish industry brigades.

(2) The Authority may from time to time in accordance with the regulations
require any relevant owner or group of relevant owners in a designated area-

   (a)  to form an industry brigade for that area; and

   (b)  to apply to the Authority for registration of the industry brigade;
        and

   (c)  at the expense of the relevant owner or owners-

   (i)  to provide such officers and members for the industry brigade as are
        determined by the Authority; and

   (ii) to provide the industry brigade with such apparatus for the prevention
        or suppression of fires and the saving of life at fires as is
        determined by the Authority.

(3) A relevant owner must comply with a requirement of the Authority directed
to the relevant owner under subsection (2).

(4) A relevant owner may apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative
Tribunal for review of a requirement under subsection (2) to form an industry
brigade.





(4A) An application for review must be made within 28 days after the later of-

   (a)  the day on which the requirement is made;

   (b)  if, under the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998,
        the relevant owner requests a statement of reasons for the decision,
        the day on which the statement of reasons is given to the relevant
        owner or the relevant owner is informed under section 46(5) of that
        Act that a statement of reasons will not be given.

(5) The Authority, on the request of a relevant owner or owners or on the
failure of a relevant owner or owners to comply with subsection (2), may-

   (a)  form an industry brigade for the designated area in accordance with
        the requirements of subsection (2); and

   (b)  recover the costs of forming, equipping and maintaining that brigade
        from the relevant owner or owners as a debt due to the Authority.

(6) The Authority may register an industry brigade and enrol the officers and
members of the brigade.

(7) The Authority may cancel the registration of an industry brigade if-

   (a)  the Authority determines that there is no longer a need for the
        brigade; or

   (b)  the industry brigade fails to comply with the requirements of the
        Authority under this Act.

(8) The Authority may cancel the enrolment of any officer or member of an
industry brigade.

(9) A relevant owner or group of relevant owners must not disband an industry
brigade without the written consent of the Authority.

(10) In this section relevant owner, in relation to a designated area means-

   (a)  an owner of land in the designated area; or

   (b)  an occupier of land in the designated area; or

   (c)  a forest property owner under a forest property agreement (within the
        meaning of the Forestry Rights Act 1996) in respect of land in the
        designated area.