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The acting commissioner of Fire and Rescue New South Wales has told a parliamentary inquiry that one consultant's payments of $6,000 a day has tarnished the reputation of the organisation.
- Marc Stitger was paid $707,395.36 between May 2017 and October 2021, the inquiry was told
- Between the 2017-2018 financial year, Fire and Rescue NSW spent $1.6 million on consultants
- Paul Baxter resigned as commissioner last month.
Fire and Rescue NSW paid a consultant friend of the former commissioner $6,000 a day for four years as part of a multi-million-dollar rebranding and identity exercise.
The organisation's Acting Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell on Wednesday gave evidence to a NSW parliamentary inquiry about the organisation's choice to pay Melbourne-based strategist Marc Stigter more than $707,000, allegedly without an initial tender process.
Mr Fewtrell said the situation was unfortunate.
"It's unfortunate that these events or circumstances around his engagement occurred in the way that they have," he said.
"This is the sort of thing for many of us that doesn't enhance the reputation of Fire and Rescue NSW. If anything it tarnishes it."
The state government's Public Accountability and Works Committee has heard from the Fire Brigade Employees Union (FBEU) and Mr Fewtrell as part of an inquiry into the government's use of consultants.
The union tabled documents it obtained through government freedom of information processes, which suggest former commissioner Paul Baxter circumvented proper procurement rules to hire consultant Marc Stigter, who is a friend.
Paul Baxter resigned as commissioner last month.
The union said it referred the allegations against Mr Baxter to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which asked Fire and Rescue NSW to investigate.
The investigation did not substantiate the allegations.
Documents from that investigation obtained by the union, suggest Mr Stigter was hired in May 2017, but a tender process did not begin until June 2018.
FBEU organiser Jonathan Wright told the inquiry Fire and Rescue NSW had not provided them with a contract for Mr Stigter's initial 11 months of work.
"You can't lawfully raise payments to someone without [a contract]," he said.
Asked where the contract was, Mr Fewtrell said he would take the question on notice.
The union said it complained to the procurement board, but received no response.
The ABC is not suggesting Mr Stigter acted improperly.
Fire and Rescue NSW started a program in 2017 called Plus Plan, which was meant to define the organisation's "identity" and help educate the community, Mr Fewtrell told the inquiry.
In the 2017-18 financial year, it spent more than $1.6 million on consultants, including Mr Stigter.
It also paid Brand Council more than $500,000 over two years to help with a rebrand, which included the addition of a plus sign between the F and R in the organisation's logo, F+RNSW.
The union said budget estimates documents show Mr Stigter was paid a total $707,395.36 between May 2017, and October 2021.
Mr Fewtrell said Mr Stigter provided everything he was asked for, but parts of the Plus Plan were not good value for money.
"With the benefit of hindsight, there's elements there I question the value for money on," he said.
Government MP Mark Buttegeig told the inquiry the spend on rebranding ahead of the devastating 2019-20 bushfire season would not sit well with the general public.
"A member of the public would be looking at this going, 'what are we spending all of this money on consultants for when we could be buying fire trucks, we could be putting on more fighters?'" he said.
Mr Stigter told the ABC it would not be appropriate to comment on the the acting commissioner's evidence as he had not seen it.
In a submission from Mr Stigter published on the inquiry's website, the consultant said it was wrong to characterise his work as a rebranding exercise.
He said he was engaged by Fire and Rescue NSW to "transform" the agency, with priorities including improvements to safety, communication and red tape.
In response to allegations about a missing contract, Mr Stigter said he was "unaware of how FRNSW applied its internal procurement processes".
"My first engagement came about after the office of then Deputy Commissioner for Strategic Capability, [redacted name], asked me to submit a proposal," he said.
The $6,000 a day fee was warranted, he said.
"My fees reflect my academic and research standing, my professional experience, and the perspectives I bring from over 30 years practice in the field," Mr Stigter wrote.