29/06/2017
The Billion Dollar Question
The Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) stated that the ionisation smoke alarms installed in Hobart's Shipright's Arms Hotel did not activate and that the TFS recommends the public use the photoelectric type of alarm. There are two types of smoke alarms, ionisation and photoelectric.
ALL Australasian fire services have been recommending photoelectric smoke alarms since 1 June 2006 - EXCEPT Fire & Rescue New South Wales who reversed their position AFTER Commissioner Mullins retired (6 Jan 2017). Under the new Commissioner, Paul Baxter, FRNSW stated on National TV (Today Show 31 May 2017) that:
"So, as long as there is an Australian Standard and it’s working, it’s got the battery installed, purchase either one."
The Northern Territories photoelectric legislation was enacted 1 Nov 2011. Queensland's photoelectric-only legislation was enacted 1 Jan 2017. The Queensland public will invest over one billion dollars to upgrade their existing defective ionisation alarms to photoelectric.
The Billion Dollar Question:
“Why is FRNSW's new Commissioner (3 months), Paul Baxter, reversing the decision of former retired Commissioner Mullins (39 years of service) when Commissioner Mullins repeatedly stated in the media and at the Senate Inquiry in December 2015, that ionisation smoke alarms “should be banned”?
The NSW Fire Commissioner has said Australia's most common smoke alarm should be banned.