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NSW
Statutory Authority
Emergency Services and Public Safety

NSW Rural Fire Service

Portfolio: Stronger Communities

https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/

Annual Budget

$450M

NSW 2025-26 Budget
Flat vs prior year
Total Revenue

$550M

2024-25 Total Revenue
Staff

1,000

Headcount (2024-25)
Ideas relevant to this department

12 tagged

Reform proposals on YourGov that name this department as a delivery partner — drawn from citizen voice, government strategy, research, international examples and gap analysis.

STRATEGY SUMMARY

To protect the community and our environment by minimising the impact of fire and other emergencies.

VISION

Safer communities, better prepared for a challenging future.

RFS Strategic Direction 2026-2031 2026 · p.8

PURPOSE

To protect the community and our environment by minimising the impact of fire and other emergencies.

RFS Strategic Direction 2026-2031 2026 · p.8

Strategic priorities

· 5

3

Increased community resilience and reduced risk of harm

RFS Strategic Direction 2026-2031 2026 · p.10
5

Fire and other emergencies are managed safely, in a decisive and coordinated way

RFS Strategic Direction 2026-2031 2026 · p.10

Outcomes

· 4

Thriving membership

We will develop, empower and support our members, ensuring they are prepared, recognised and able to work together in a safe and inclusive environment.

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Collaborate to develop and implement a Volunteer skills and Staff Workforce Strategy
  • Negotiate and embed a new RFS Industrial Award
  • Implement and enhance the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Framework
  • Develop and implement a program to provide enhanced care and support for members following incidents

Reduced risk and lead preparedness

We will strengthen community readiness and reduce risk through targeted planning, engagement and hazard reduction.

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Enhance our Risk Modelling Platform based on risk reduction and activity
  • Develop localised risk modelling to support risks and guide targeted planning and response efforts
  • Strengthen communities’ preparedness for bush fires by fostering direct engagement and support

Respond safely and effectively

We will enhance our ability to respond safely and effectively with our partners, to reduce harm to the community and the environment.

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Improve response efficiency through better integration of our operational systems
  • Integrate multi-agency and third-party Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) data
  • Embed a strategic intelligence function within the State Operations Centre

Preparing for the future

We will strengthen organisational capabilities to adapt and meet the future challenges.

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Allocate and equip fleet according to risk, asset management and response needs
  • Invest in the next generation of fleet
  • Deliver against the Cybersecurity Strategy

Values

· 7

One Team, Many Players, One Purpose

Integrity and Trust

Support, Friendship and Camaraderie

Mutual Respect

Adaptability and Resourcefulness

Community and Our Environment

Knowledge and Learning

Performance measures

· 4

CodeMeasureTarget 2025-26Latest resultStatus

CCE01

Bush fire risk reduction

Quantified risk reduction

RFS Strategic Direction 2026-2031 2026 · p.13

Target met

Annual Report 2024 · p.13
Achieved

CCE02

Community engagement in hazard reduction

Increased community awareness and action

RFS Strategic Direction 2026-2031 2026 · p.14

Partially achieved

Annual Report 2024 · p.14
Partially achieved

CCE03

Response efficiency

Increased efficiency and effectiveness

RFS Strategic Direction 2026-2031 2026 · p.15

Mostly achieved

Annual Report 2024 · p.15
Mostly achieved

CCE04

Cybersecurity readiness

Protection against emerging cyber threats

RFS Strategic Direction 2026-2031 2026 · p.17

On track

Annual Report 2024 · p.17
On track

Ideas distilled from this entity's strategy & evidence

· 12

Citizen Services

Plain-language service pages and proactive status updates

Rewrite high-volume pages and letters into plain language, add status notifications, and measure contact reduction.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

contact-us)

Citizen Services

Single front door for life-event based services

Bundle services around life events so citizens can complete related steps across agencies in one journey.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

contact-us)

Data & Performance

KPI evidence register with named owners

Create a simple register mapping each KPI to source data, owner, frequency, target, and last result.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Data & Performance

Outcome dashboard linking budget, delivery, and public impact

Build a public-facing outcome dashboard showing spend, outputs, outcomes, and delivery confidence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Citizen Participation

Consultation feedback summaries with response tracking

Summarise consultation submissions by theme and publish what changed in response.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Citizen Participation

Always-on policy participation platform

Create a standing participation platform where citizens and stakeholders can propose, vote, and track ideas.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Risk & Assurance

Recommendation tracker for audits, reviews, and inquiries

Publish a single internal tracker for audit/review recommendations, owners, due dates, and implementation evidence.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Risk & Assurance

Integrated assurance and lessons-learned system

Create an assurance system that connects audit findings, risk registers, delivery reviews, and investment decisions.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Reusable briefing and summary assistant for internal documents

Create controlled templates for summarising reports, submissions, minutes, and ministerial briefs.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Department-wide knowledge and briefing platform

Build a secure knowledge platform that lets staff search, summarise, and cite approved departmental material.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Procurement & Delivery

Procurement lessons library for repeat purchases

Capture reusable procurement clauses, market lessons, supplier performance notes, and common evaluation criteria.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

220612-Dominic-Perrottet-Matt-Kean-Steph-Cooke-med-rel-BUDGET-BOOST-FOR-NSW-BUSHFIRE-INQUIRY-ACTION.pdf)

Procurement & Delivery

Portfolio delivery office for major investments

Stand up a portfolio delivery office that tracks benefits, risks, dependencies, procurement, and delivery confidence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

220612-Dominic-Perrottet-Matt-Kean-Steph-Cooke-med-rel-BUDGET-BOOST-FOR-NSW-BUSHFIRE-INQUIRY-ACTION.pdf)

Citizen Services

Plain-language service pages and proactive status updates

Rewrite high-volume pages and letters into plain language, add status notifications, and measure contact reduction.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

contact-us)

Citizen Services

Single front door for life-event based services

Bundle services around life events so citizens can complete related steps across agencies in one journey.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

contact-us)

Data & Performance

KPI evidence register with named owners

Create a simple register mapping each KPI to source data, owner, frequency, target, and last result.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Data & Performance

Outcome dashboard linking budget, delivery, and public impact

Build a public-facing outcome dashboard showing spend, outputs, outcomes, and delivery confidence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Citizen Participation

Consultation feedback summaries with response tracking

Summarise consultation submissions by theme and publish what changed in response.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Citizen Participation

Always-on policy participation platform

Create a standing participation platform where citizens and stakeholders can propose, vote, and track ideas.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Risk & Assurance

Recommendation tracker for audits, reviews, and inquiries

Publish a single internal tracker for audit/review recommendations, owners, due dates, and implementation evidence.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Risk & Assurance

Integrated assurance and lessons-learned system

Create an assurance system that connects audit findings, risk registers, delivery reviews, and investment decisions.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Reusable briefing and summary assistant for internal documents

Create controlled templates for summarising reports, submissions, minutes, and ministerial briefs.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Department-wide knowledge and briefing platform

Build a secure knowledge platform that lets staff search, summarise, and cite approved departmental material.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

RFS-Strategic-Direction-2026-2031-printable.pdf)

Procurement & Delivery

Procurement lessons library for repeat purchases

Capture reusable procurement clauses, market lessons, supplier performance notes, and common evaluation criteria.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

220612-Dominic-Perrottet-Matt-Kean-Steph-Cooke-med-rel-BUDGET-BOOST-FOR-NSW-BUSHFIRE-INQUIRY-ACTION.pdf)

Procurement & Delivery

Portfolio delivery office for major investments

Stand up a portfolio delivery office that tracks benefits, risks, dependencies, procurement, and delivery confidence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

220612-Dominic-Perrottet-Matt-Kean-Steph-Cooke-med-rel-BUDGET-BOOST-FOR-NSW-BUSHFIRE-INQUIRY-ACTION.pdf)

Want the full analysis?

Download this month's report covering NSW Rural Fire Service