Fire and Emergency Services (Smoke Alarms) Amendment Bill 2015
Plain English Summary
Overview
This bill aimed to make photoelectric smoke alarms mandatory in every Queensland home, implementing recommendations from the coronial inquest into the 2011 Slacks Creek house fire that killed 11 people. Homeowners would have had three years to upgrade existing alarms. The bill was discharged and did not become law.
Who it affects
Homeowners and landlords would bear the cost of upgrading alarms, while renters and home buyers would benefit from more reliable fire detection.
Key changes
- Only photoelectric smoke alarms (not ionisation alarms) would be legal in homes
- Alarms required on every storey, between bedrooms and living areas, and in hallways to bedrooms
- Alarms must be either hard-wired to mains or have a 10-year lithium battery
- Landlords must test alarms within 30 days before a new tenancy starts
- Existing homes get 3 years to upgrade; non-compliant homes must upgrade before sale or new tenancy
Bill Story
The journey of this bill through Parliament, including debate and recorded votes.
▸Committee2 Dec 2015View Hansard
Referred to Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee
The Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee examined this private member's bill alongside the government's Fire and Emergency Services (Domestic Smoke Alarms) Amendment Bill 2016, receiving 31 submissions and holding public hearings. Both bills sought to mandate photoelectric smoke alarms in all residential premises following the 2011 Slacks Creek house fire that killed 11 people. The committee was not able to reach a majority decision on whether to recommend either bill be passed, though all members agreed that photoelectric smoke alarms should replace ionisation alarms.
Key findings (5)
- Both bills responded to findings from the Coronial Inquest into the 2011 Slacks Creek house fire, which found that working photoelectric smoke alarms could have saved lives
- There was unanimous agreement across all committee members and stakeholders that ionisation smoke alarms should be replaced with photoelectric alarms, which respond faster to slow-burning fires and produce fewer false alarms
- The key disagreement was over interconnectivity requirements and implementation timeframes, with non-government members arguing the government bill's 10-year phase-in period was too long and that mandating interconnectivity would increase costs and slow adoption
- The committee's inquiry was informed by a concurrent Commonwealth Senate inquiry into smoke alarms, which made seven recommendations supporting photoelectric and interconnected alarms nationally
- Real estate industry representatives raised concerns about compliance costs and differing requirements for rental versus owner-occupied properties
Recommendations (2)
- The committee notes the overwhelming evidence supporting the installation of photoelectric alarms and endorses such.
- The committee recommends smoke alarms comply with AS 3786-2014 and AS 1670.6-1997.
Committee report tabled
▸Second Reading31 Aug 2016View Hansard
▸10 members spoke10 support
Moved the LNP private member's bill and argued it offers a simpler, cheaper and quicker three-year transition to photoelectric smoke alarms without mandating interconnectivity.
“The reason we support our bill over Labor's bill is that we believe that it is important to have an affordable transition process that encourages Queenslanders to take up photoelectric smoke alarms over the older ionised alarm type.”— 2016-08-31View Hansard
Supported the LNP 2015 bill and raised concerns about the reliability of wireless interconnectivity of lithium battery smoke alarms and the higher cost compared to the three-year non-interconnected option.
“To force through the House this interconnectivity aspect with a delay of up to 10 years for the implementation of these smoke alarms versus no connectivity required at this stage but installation within three years is a no-brainer.”— 2016-08-31View Hansard
Argued the 2015 LNP bill was the clear winner because it was simpler and cheaper to comply with, and opposed mandatory interconnectivity as too costly.
“While the two bills possess similarities, when evaluated, the 2015 bill is superior in that it is simpler, cheaper to comply with and, as a result, it is anticipated the rate of compliance—read 'saving lives'—would be quicker and greater across the state.”— 2016-08-31View Hansard
Argued the government's 10-year phase-in is too slow and that the LNP bill provides a sensible three-year staged transition that would save lives sooner.
“A 10-year buy-in is nonsense ... The LNP has paved a way for more homes to be protected and more lives to be saved through a simple and easy transition to deliver the necessary changes and in a timely fashion at about a fifth of the cost.”— 2016-08-31View Hansard
Supported the LNP bill, arguing the government's 10-year phase-in is too long and delays urgent safety measures for Queensland families.
“I say again: 10 years really is too long ... I plead with all members of the House to support a far quicker implementation period.”— 2016-08-31View Hansard
Supported the LNP bill for a three-year phase-in, warning that hardwiring costs would be prohibitive for Queenslanders in lower socioeconomic areas under the government bill.
“As a parliament in Queensland, this is about saving lives; it is not about petty politics.”— 2016-08-31View Hansard
Supported the LNP private member's bill, arguing a three-year time frame without mandatory interconnectivity would get photoelectric alarms installed more quickly and cheaply.
“Ten years is too long for the legislative requirements for transition from ionisation smoke alarms to photoelectric smoke alarms to be implemented.”— 2016-08-31View Hansard
Supported the LNP 2015 bill, arguing the government's 10-year phase-in and mandatory interconnectivity make compliance too costly and too slow.
“If we truly want to save lives in Queensland, we need to have more households with compliant and working smoke alarms sooner. This is why I cannot support the Labor government's bill and do support the private member's bill.”— 2016-08-31View Hansard
Supported the LNP bill for its shorter three-year phase-in and non-mandatory interconnectivity, arguing these make compliance more affordable particularly for low-income families.
“Only the LNP has taken an inclusive approach to this issue that will allow all Queenslanders the opportunity to have photoelectric smoke alarms installed in the most cost-effective and time-efficient manner.”— 2016-08-31View Hansard
Supported the LNP bill, arguing mandated interconnectivity and a 10-year phase-in create behavioural barriers that will hinder compliance and leave homes less safe.
“Only the opposition's bill is clearer, simpler, less costly, has shorter time frames, is easy to comply with and is less prescriptive. The only way to achieve this transition is to pass the opposition's bill.”— 2016-08-31View Hansard
Referenced Entities
Sectors Affected
Classified using AGIFT/ANZSIC Australian government standards