❓ This parliamentary Question on Notice seeks detailed financial expenditure and operational data for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management over the last five financial years, focusing on supplies, services, top suppliers, aviation costs, income, other expenses, and employee benefits.
AnsweredQoN 2331Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, will the Minister provide a breakdown of supplies and services expenditure by the department’s general ledger categories, or equivalent internal expenditure categories, including contractors, aviation, fleet, fuel, incendiaries, equipment, accommodation, communications, consultants and training; and, where category structures changed between years, please identify those changes.?(2) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, who were the top 10 suppliers by total amount paid from supplies and services expenditure; and for each supplier, will the Minister provide:(a) supplier name;(b) ABN, where recorded;(c) total amount paid;(d) relevant ledger category; and(e) a short description of the goods or services supplied?(3) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, how much was spent on aviation-related expenditure, broken down by supplier and operational purpose, including helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, air observers, incendiary aircraft, charter or hire, aviation fuel and other aviation support services, regardless of the expense line in which the expenditure was recorded?(4) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, what items comprised User charges and fees income; and for each item, will the Minister provide:(a) the source;(b) the amount;(c) a description; and; and(d) whether the amount related to cost recovery, reimbursement, fees, permits or another revenue source?(5) For each of the last five financial years, in the three south-west forest regions, how many hectares were treated under prescribed burning in:(a) Land Management Zones (LMZ) A areas (within 3.5 kilometres of a populated place);(b) LMZ B areas (between 3.5 and 11 kilometres of a populated place); and(c) LMZ C areas (more than 11 kilometres from a populated place):(i) and what expenditure was attributed to each LMZ category respectively? If expenditure was not directly recorded by LMZ category, please advise whether any methodology is used to attribute costs between LMZ A, LMZ B and LMZ C.?(6) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, what items comprised Other expenses; and for each item, will the Minister provide:(a) the amount;(b) a description; and(c) details of any write-offs, provisions, abnormal items or reclassifications?(7) For Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, employee benefits expense increased from $36.657 million in 2023–24 to $40.943 million in 2024–25. Will the Minister provide a breakdown of the factors contributing to that increase, including:(a) additional FTE;(b) overtime;(c) wage increases;(d) allowances and loadings;(e) leave and other employee provisions; and(f) any reallocation of staff costs from other services?(8) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management:(a) what was the total FTE;(b) how much employee benefits expense was attributable to overtime; and(c) what were the total overtime hours recorded?
(1) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, will the Minister provide a breakdown of supplies and services expenditure by the department’s general ledger categories, or equivalent internal expenditure categories, including contractors, aviation, fleet, fuel, incendiaries, equipment, accommodation, communications, consultants and training; and, where category structures changed between years, please identify those changes.?
(2) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, who were the top 10 suppliers by total amount paid from supplies and services expenditure; and for each supplier, will the Minister provide:
(a) supplier name;
(b) ABN, where recorded;
(c) total amount paid;
(d) relevant ledger category; and
(e) a short description of the goods or services supplied?
(3) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, how much was spent on aviation-related expenditure, broken down by supplier and operational purpose, including helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, air observers, incendiary aircraft, charter or hire, aviation fuel and other aviation support services, regardless of the expense line in which the expenditure was recorded?
(4) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, what items comprised User charges and fees income; and for each item, will the Minister provide:
(a) the source;
(b) the amount;
(c) a description; and; and
(d) whether the amount related to cost recovery, reimbursement, fees, permits or another revenue source?
(5) For each of the last five financial years, in the three south-west forest regions, how many hectares were treated under prescribed burning in:
(a) Land Management Zones (LMZ) A areas (within 3.5 kilometres of a populated place);
(b) LMZ B areas (between 3.5 and 11 kilometres of a populated place); and
(c) LMZ C areas (more than 11 kilometres from a populated place):
(i) and what expenditure was attributed to each LMZ category respectively? If expenditure was not directly recorded by LMZ category, please advise whether any methodology is used to attribute costs between LMZ A, LMZ B and LMZ C.?
(6) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, what items comprised Other expenses; and for each item, will the Minister provide:
(a) the amount;
(b) a description; and
(c) details of any write-offs, provisions, abnormal items or reclassifications?
(7) For Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, employee benefits expense increased from $36.657 million in 2023–24 to $40.943 million in 2024–25. Will the Minister provide a breakdown of the factors contributing to that increase, including:
(a) additional FTE;
(b) overtime;
(c) wage increases;
(d) allowances and loadings;
(e) leave and other employee provisions; and
(f) any reallocation of staff costs from other services?
(8) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management:
(a) what was the total FTE;
(b) how much employee benefits expense was attributable to overtime; and
(c) what were the total overtime hours recorded?
(1) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, will the Minister provide a breakdown of supplies and services expenditure by the department’s general ledger categories, or equivalent internal expenditure categories, including contractors, aviation, fleet, fuel, incendiaries, equipment, accommodation, communications, consultants and training; and, where category structures changed between years, please identify those changes.?
(2) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, who were the top 10 suppliers by total amount paid from supplies and services expenditure; and for each supplier, will the Minister provide:
(a) supplier name;
(b) ABN, where recorded;
(c) total amount paid;
(d) relevant ledger category; and
(e) a short description of the goods or services supplied?
(3) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, how much was spent on aviation-related expenditure, broken down by supplier and operational purpose, including helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, air observers, incendiary aircraft, charter or hire, aviation fuel and other aviation support services, regardless of the expense line in which the expenditure was recorded?
(4) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, what items comprised User charges and fees income; and for each item, will the Minister provide:
(a) the source;
(b) the amount;
(c) a description; and; and
(d) whether the amount related to cost recovery, reimbursement, fees, permits or another revenue source?
(5) For each of the last five financial years, in the three south-west forest regions, how many hectares were treated under prescribed burning in:
(a) Land Management Zones (LMZ) A areas (within 3.5 kilometres of a populated place);
(b) LMZ B areas (between 3.5 and 11 kilometres of a populated place); and
(c) LMZ C areas (more than 11 kilometres from a populated place):
(i) and what expenditure was attributed to each LMZ category respectively? If expenditure was not directly recorded by LMZ category, please advise whether any methodology is used to attribute costs between LMZ A, LMZ B and LMZ C.?
(6) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, what items comprised Other expenses; and for each item, will the Minister provide:
(a) the amount;
(b) a description; and
(c) details of any write-offs, provisions, abnormal items or reclassifications?
(7) For Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management, employee benefits expense increased from $36.657 million in 2023–24 to $40.943 million in 2024–25. Will the Minister provide a breakdown of the factors contributing to that increase, including:
(a) additional FTE;
(b) overtime;
(c) wage increases;
(d) allowances and loadings;
(e) leave and other employee provisions; and
(f) any reallocation of staff costs from other services?
(8) For each of the last five financial years, for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire Management:
(a) what was the total FTE;
(b) how much employee benefits expense was attributable to overtime; and
(c) what were the total overtime hours recorded?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 June 2026
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment
Response time
12 days
Supplies and Service expenditure 2020-21 ($000) 2021-22 ($000) 2022-23 ($000) 2023-24 ($000) 2024-25 ($000) Consultants and contractors 196 149 300 145 275 Materials 2,840 2,679 2,491 2,725 2,756 Repairs and Maintenance 1,208 1,236 1,355 1,486 1,455 Services and Contracts 5,378 5,399 5,255 4,935 5,273 Travel 1,039 890 1,204 1,147 1,421 Other 52 175 1,109 1,140 1,411 Total 10,713 10,528 11,714 11,578 12,591 (2) For the five-year period ending 30 June 2025 the top 10 suppliers to the department for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire management, and for the line-item Supplies and Services were as follows: Supplier/ Customer ABN Ledger Category Description of goods or services provided 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Amount Paid (Excl GST) AIR BP LIMITED 53004085616 Materials Aviation fuel 321,358 504,876 513,502 578,265 604,980 2,522,982 JRS LOGISTICS PTY LTD 91116213266 Services and Contracts Aviation fuel management 374,945 327,515 468,571 364,117 506,873 2,042,021 AERO JACKS 68730918356 Materials Aircraft servicing 217,474 182,285 351,853 606,187 560,405 1,918,204 BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY 92637533532 Services and Contracts Fire weather forecasting 236,639 330,050 289,050 280,152 285,838 1,421,729 WESTERN AIRMOTIVE PTY LTD 84008804448 Materials Aircraft parts 199,125 157,573 194,630 338,054 365,683 1,255,064 RAINDANCE SYSTEMS 61102943797 Services and Contracts Servicing of aerial ignition equipment 160,715 219,927 274,505 290,350 206,584 1,152,082 UDUC CONCRETE PRODUCTS 49246574677 Materials Concrete bridge beams for bridges on strategic fire access roads 217,031 132,205 207,160 214,442 85,138 855,977 FOREST PRODUCTS COMMISSION 69101683074 Services and Contracts Staff and equipment to support prescribed burning operations and fire response availability 127,530 170,723 171,983 151,779 38,364 660,378 KIMBERLEY WATER CARTING 21954912473 Services and Contracts Firebreak and fire access construction and maintenance 152,306 36,400 55,913 158,213 142,013 544,844 DUNNINGS 74194276729 Materials Fuel supplies 23,811 128,909 152,336 124,490 110,880 540,425 (3) It is not possible to provide an exhaustive list of all aviation-related expenditure and at the level of detail requested. Some aviation-related expenditure falls within ledger categories which are also used to capture non-aviation expenditure. The following table lists expenditure with suppliers that can be identified as specifically aviation-related over the last five completed financial years: Supplier/ Customer Operational Purpose 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Grand Total (excl GST) HELICOPTER LOGISTICS PTY LTD Various aviation services including aircraft hire for aerial ignition, aircraft standby and staff training. 1,416,212 1,265,517 1,854,514 1,291,614 1,459,809 7,287,666 FRONTIER HELICOPTERS Aviation services to support prescribed burning and aircraft standby in Kimberley Region 597,482 627,975 961,927 1,254,939 1,220,960 4,663,283 AIR BP LIMITED Aviation fuel supply 321,358 504,876 517,108 580,405 606,429 2,530,176 JRS LOGISTICS PTY LTD Aviation fuel management 374,945 327,515 468,571 364,117 506,873 2,042,021 AERO JACKS Aircraft maintenance 217,474 182,285 351,853 606,187 560,405 1,918,204 WESTERN AIRMOTIVE PTY LTD Supply of aircraft parts for maintenance 199,125 157,573 194,630 338,054 365,683 1,255,064 RAINDANCE SYSTEMS Aerial ignition delivery systems, maintenance and consumable supplies 159,915 219,927 274,505 290,350 206,584 1,151,282 DUNN AVIATION PTY LTD Aircraft hire 6,064 528,274 63,523 466 598,326 SUNCOAST AERO ENGINES PTY LTD Aircraft engine replacements 91,272 49,955 218,470 162,170 521,867 NEXUS AVIONICS Maintenance of aircraft Avionics and communication equipment 28,636 35,347 34,342 204,338 60,633 363,296 ALL NORTH HELICOPTERS PTY LTD Aviation services to support prescribed burning and aerial ignition in Kimberley Region 166,861 166,861 SOLBERG ASIA-PACIFIC PTY LTD Aerial ignition materials 24,406 100,376 124,781 SPECTRO P/L T/AS THOMSON DESIGN Aircraft inspection and certification services 6,830 29,350 12,408 40,838 3,500 92,926 JANDAKOT AIRPORT HOLDINGS P/L Aircraft parking and landing fees 18,050 11,797 16,215 24,824 17,798 88,683 FLIGHT HELMETS AUSTRALIA Flight helmets for staff undertaking prescribed burning operations in aircraft 5,487 28,645 5,594 26,601 66,326 AVINET PTY LTD license fees for flight records software 7,868 8,730 8,572 11,005 11,121 47,296 HELISPIRIT Aircraft charter for crew transport and survey work 1,905 21,883 14,878 38,665 CHINA SOUTHERN WA FLYING COLLEG Aircraft engine maintenance 35,707 35,707 KIMBERLEY AIR TOURS Crew transport, aerial ignition training 9,659 8,686 13,975 32,321 GRIFFITHS ENGINEERING PTY LTD Aviation fuel facilities maintenance and inspections 1,800 7,671 960 8,305 7,594 26,330 OZRUNWAYS PTY LTD Aviation mapping licenses 4,057 3,886 5,222 6,956 4,376 24,498 SKY ELECTRICS Aircraft inspections and maintenance 15,012 7,948 22,960 APPLIED AVIATION MAINTENANCE PTY LTD Aerial ignition equipment 22,527 22,527 BOEING DISTRIBUTION AUSTRALIA PTY LTD Aircraft parts and servicing supplies 12,111 3,024 15,135 AVIAIR PTY LTD Aircraft charter for crew transport 13,868 13,868 BUNBURY AERO CLUB INC Aerial photography 785 11,258 1,750 13,794 SOLBERG ASIA-PASIFIC PTY LTD Aerial ignition materials 13,610 13,610 SHOAL AIR Aircraft charter - crew transport 9,990 9,990 AEROSPACE FABRICATION PTY LTD Aerial ignition equipment 410 2,739 6,748 9,897 MAJOR BLUE AIR PTY LTD Aircraft training and check flights 9,760 9,760 GOODWIN MCCARTHY HELICOPTERS Aerial survey work 8,375 8,375 SHARK BAY AVIATION Aerial observation 4,456 4,456 FLYWEST AVIATION Aircraft charter - crew transport 3,358 3,358 CHOICE AVIATION SERVICES Aircraft maintenance 464 974 1,081 170 2,690 GOLDFIELDS AIR SERVICES Aircraft hire - air observation 1,265 1,227 2,492 HELIWEST Aircraft maintenance and inspections 1,610 1,610 AIRPORT LIGHTING SPECIALISTS PTY LTD Hangar lighting 955 955 G & K AVIATION INTERIORS Aircraft maintenance 350 350 (4) SOURCE DESCRIPTION COST RECOVERY, REIMBURSEMENT, FEES, PERMITS OR ANOTHER REVENUE SOURCE 2020-21 ($000) 2021-22 ($000) 2022-23 ($000) 2023-24 ($000) 2024-25 ($000) Services Rendered - Private Revenue received for prescribed burning works conducted on behalf of other entities. Cost recovery 1,177 485 561 856 741 Services Rendered - Private Employee compensation housing rent - moved to other revenue 2024-25 & 2023-24 Recoup 146 293 181 Services Rendered - Private Reimbursement of overseas deployment Reimbursement 0 0 0 1905 1,204 (5) Targets 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 a. LMZ A 20,000 13,836 13,582 13,069 8,299 6,251 b. LMZ B 70,000 55,751 42,591 46,419 28,480 41,629 c. LMZ C 110,000 94,858 128,322 110,203 60,059 60,989 (i) No costs are attributed between LMZ A, LMZ B and LMZ C. (6) 2020-21 ($000) 2021-22 ($000) 2022-23 ($000) 2023-24 ($000) 2024-25 ($000) OTHER EXPENDITURE 725 1,153 1,924 1,067 1,808 Cost of goods sold - carbon credits 0 0 7 0 64 Operating Leases - Vehicles & Plant and Equipment 399 824 1538 576 1,274 Workers Compensation 172 195 262 361 398 Software Maintenance 154 134 117 130 72 (7) (a) – (f) The factors contributing to the $4.3 million increase in employee benefits expense from 2023-24 to 2024-25 are primarily due to the increased proportional time (16 FTEs) allocated to this service, higher salaries and wages costs ($3.5 million), factoring the increase in the Superannuation Guarantee contribution percentage, annual payroll escalation in line with the wages policy, and increased overtime payments of $0.8 million. (8) a) Individual DBCA staff work across multiple services, however, for the past five completed financial years the FTE totals attributed to Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire management in the department’s budget statements are as follows: 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 250 250 247 284 300 b) Expenditure attributable to overtime for Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire management over the last five completed financial years is as follows: 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Grand Total 4,641,878 4,716,710 4,499,943 4,499,719 5,269,192 23,627,443 c) The overtime hours reported are estimates based on data from the department’s payroll system. Linkage to service is done in the transfer to the financial system, a process which captures the dollar value but not the hours. The following table provides the number of overtime hours recorded as specifically related to prescribed burning for each of the past five financial years: 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 78,909 82,139 70,840 48,970 61,987
9: Prescribed Burning and Fire management, and for the line-item Supplies and Services were as follows:
Customer
LIMITED
Customer
PTY LTD
PTY LTD
ENGINES PTY LTD
WA FLYING COLLEG
(6)
The factors contributing to the $4.3 million increase in employee benefits expense from 2023-24 to 2024-25 are primarily due to the increased proportional time (16 FTEs) allocated to this service, higher salaries and wages costs ($3.5 million), factoring the increase in the Superannuation Guarantee contribution percentage, annual payroll escalation in line with the wages policy, and increased overtime payments of $0.8 million. (8) a) Individual DBCA staff work across multiple services, however, for the past five completed financial years the FTE totals attributed to Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire management in the department’s budget statements are as follows:
(8) a) Individual DBCA staff work across multiple services, however, for the past five completed financial years the FTE totals attributed to Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire management in the department’s budget statements are as follows:
a) Individual DBCA staff work across multiple services, however, for the past five completed financial years the FTE totals attributed to Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire management in the department’s budget statements are as follows:
9: Prescribed Burning and Fire management, and for the line-item Supplies and Services were as follows:
Customer
LIMITED
Customer
PTY LTD
PTY LTD
ENGINES PTY LTD
WA FLYING COLLEG
(6)
The factors contributing to the $4.3 million increase in employee benefits expense from 2023-24 to 2024-25 are primarily due to the increased proportional time (16 FTEs) allocated to this service, higher salaries and wages costs ($3.5 million), factoring the increase in the Superannuation Guarantee contribution percentage, annual payroll escalation in line with the wages policy, and increased overtime payments of $0.8 million. (8) a) Individual DBCA staff work across multiple services, however, for the past five completed financial years the FTE totals attributed to Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire management in the department’s budget statements are as follows:
(8) a) Individual DBCA staff work across multiple services, however, for the past five completed financial years the FTE totals attributed to Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire management in the department’s budget statements are as follows:
a) Individual DBCA staff work across multiple services, however, for the past five completed financial years the FTE totals attributed to Service 9: Prescribed Burning and Fire management in the department’s budget statements are as follows:
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