In this final Part 3 of 'The State of the Emergency Services Sector in Australia' the conversation turns to the future. In Part 3, my guest (for all three parts) Bruce Byatt AFSM and I take a hard look at what really determines success across emergency services — and where things still quietly unravel. We explore interagency cohesiveness: where collaboration works, where old wounds linger, and why genuine respect is built through relationships, shared experience, and two-way learning — not organisational charts or slick ministerial releases. We unpack the consequences of poorly considered structural redesign and the unintended barriers created by inward-focused agency models. Reform matters — but so does giving reformed agencies the time and space to mature, rather than tipping them on their heads again too soon. Culture takes centre stage. Get it right and capability follows. Get it wrong and no amount of funding will fix it. Through it all, the impact on community safety effectiveness must remain central to ongoing cultural reform efforts. We also tackle some uncomfortable truths: 🚨Spending scarce dollars on capability that may never be used, while critical areas remain under-resourced or entirely non-resourced. 🚨The fragile reality of long-term funding — and why capability, not industrial or stakeholder power, must drive investment decisions 🚨What leaders need to be acutely aware of as they step into senior and executive roles — including the support available, and the fierce resistance they may face The bottom line? ✓ The sector will continue to be confronted by unexpected challenges, amid ongoing fiscal restraints. ✓ The question is whether we’re building the leadership, culture, and capability now to meet them when they arrive.

Part 2 is live — and this is where the conversation truly sharpens.

In this follow-up episode with Bruce Byatt AFSM, we move past the polite headlines and into the structural issues that continue to hold the emergency services sector back.

In Part 2, we explore: 🚨 PPRR in 2025 — Why does Response still dominate? What does meaningful Prevention and Preparedness look like today? And are we honestly matching resources to risk? 🚨 Stakeholder Tensions — When agencies and stakeholders go head-to-head, the community often pays the price. We unpack why this keeps happening and the personal toll it takes on senior leaders. 🚨 Enterprise Bargaining Agreements — Why are we still relying on a tool designed for the 1980s to solve contemporary workplace challenges? 🚨 Workplace Culture — Many claim it’s been “sorted.” Not quite. So what now?

This episode isn’t designed for comfort — it’s for leaders who want the sector to evolve and continue serving communities well into the future. For those in the sector, even if you hesitate liking this post due to perception and personal survival reasons, still have a listen. And drop me an email if you think it would be good to look at certain other sector aspects in future episodes. influencemepodcast@icloud.com

Part 2 is available now.

#communitysafety #publicvalue #influenceme #emergencyservices #leadership

Are you interested in how effective our emergency services really are? In this three-part conversation, Bruce Byatt AFSM — former senior executive and long-time leader in the sector — joins me to unpack what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to evolve.

We explore: ✅ Vision, Mission & Strategy — are they still fit for purpose? ✅ Resource-to-risk balance — are we getting it right? ✅ The political interface — interacting with ministers and their teams ✅ Is Response the King of PPRR? (Prevention, Preparedness, Response & Recovery) ✅ Organisational culture and operational safety ✅ The complex world of stakeholder and industrial relations

A thoughtful, candid look at how emergency services can better serve their communities — and what leadership in this space really takes.

Please enjoy Part 1. Part 2 and 3 will be released in the near future. #InfluenceMePodcast #Leadership #EmergencyServices #PublicSafety #PublicValue #IR #OperationalSafety