WAFES Conference

1. Definitions

"WAFES” means the Western Australian Fire and Emergency Services.

“Attendee” means a volunteer or DFES staff member invited/registered to attend the Event.

"BGU” means Brigade, Group or Unit.

“Event” means the WAFES Conference, including the Welcome Sundowner, Conference, tours and workshops, WAFES Awards gala dinner and associated events which will take place from Friday 6 to Saturday 7 September 2024.

“Late cancellation” means cancellation within two weeks of the Event or failure to attend the Event.

“Non attendance” means not attending the Event without notifying the Registration Manager.

“Organiser” means Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).

“Registration Manager” means Event Travel Management who is contracted by DFES to manage all delegate services. (The Registration Manager is contactable by telephone on 08 9216 7257 or 1300 040 934 or email WAFEStravel@eventsctm.com.)

2. Prices

2.1. All prices are in Australian Dollars inclusive of GST.

3. Event registration

3.1. Registration for the Event is subject to these terms and conditions.

4. Registration payment terms

4.1. A tax invoice (if applicable) will be emailed to attendees with confirmation of registration.

4.2. Payment of WAFES Conference registration fee (if applicable) and WAFES Awards gala dinner tickets (if applicable) are due in full at the time of registration or as otherwise indicated on the tax invoice.

4.3. All fees are payable prior to commencement of the Event to ensure admission.

4.4. Notwithstanding clause 4.3, the Organiser’s receipt of an application and/or payment does not constitute acceptance. The Organiser reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to limit or deny access to the Event to any entity or individual.

4.5. Notwithstanding clause 4.4, application and payments that are not accepted will be returned.

5. Registration cancellation

5.1. The Organiser has implemented a cancellation policy to limit the financial impact on the State of Western Australia caused by delegates’ non-attendance, cancellation or early departure, without reasonable notice, while recognising that delegates may be unable to cancel within a reasonable time due to circumstances beyond their control.

5.2. Attendees who need to cancel their attendance at the Event and/or flights and accommodation are to notify the Registrations Manager as soon as possible.

5.3. Cancellation fees may be applied subject to clauses 13.6 and 13.7.

5.4. Upon cancellation, the Organiser may reallocate the attendee’s place.

6. Late cancellation or non-attendance

6.1. The Organiser will make the following notifications in relation to late cancellations or non-attendance:

1. For volunteers: the local DFES District Officer and relevant BGU Manager.
2. For DFES staff: line manager.

6.2. the Organiser may deem those classified as late cancellations and non-attendances ineligible to register and attend future Events.

7. Fee for late cancellation or non-attendance

7.1. In addition to flight and accommodation cancellation costs (refer clauses 13.6, 13.7 and 13.8), attendees deemed late cancellations or non-attendances may be held responsible for Event costs incurred by the Organiser consistent with the indicative costs in the below table.

8. Entry to the Event

8.1. Except as specified in clause 8.2, Event attendees are required to collect a lanyard from the WAFES registration desk in advance of attending their first registered event.

8.2. Attendees only registered for the WAFES Awards gala dinner are not required to collect a lanyard.

8.3. Event attendees are required to check in to each individual event. Event registration check-in records will be used to determine non-attendance for this event.

8.4. The forms of check-in that will be made available to Event attendees include:

• Onsite manual check-in, where an event staff member scans in an attendee via their unique QR code found on their lanyard.
• Onsite manual check-in, where an event staff member scans in an attendee via the QR code in their WAFES smartphone app.
• In the case of a system failure individual lists of names will be checked off manually.

9. WAFES Awards gala dinner

9.1. Attendees must present tickets to enter this event.

9.2. To allow as many volunteers as possible to attend this event, only nominated VIPs and Volunteer Associations may bring non-volunteer guests at a charge of $175 per ticket.

9.3. Volunteers under 18 years of age must attend with a parent or guardian. The parent or guardian will be required to pay $175 for a ticket, unless they are also a volunteer or the underage volunteer they are attending with is a 2024 WAFES Awards finalist.

Please refer to the 2024 WAFES Awards Terms and Conditions for further details on nominations, eligibility and the awards process.

10. Photography and filming permission

10.1. All Event attendees acknowledge that they may be photographed or filmed by the Organiser’s official photographer/videographer.

10.2. Event attendees’ consent for the Organiser to use, reproduce, copy, exhibit or distribute any photographs or videos of attendees and/or any voice recordings made of attendees and/or written extraction of the same, which may be included in advertising and promotional material by the Organiser.

11. Permission to use mobile text messaging (SMS)

11.1. Attendees agree, by providing their mobile number during registration for the Event, that they are permitting the Organiser to SMS their number up to five (5) times.

11.2. Attendees may unsubscribe to messaging by replying “remove” to the SMS.

12. Accommodation guidelines

12.1. When an endorsed volunteer travels outside a radius of fifty (50) kilometres measured from the volunteer’s brigade, group or unit (BGU) headquarters to attend the WAFES Conference they are eligible for accommodation to be subsidised by DFES. This includes accommodation from Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 September 2024 (3 nights).  

12.2. Eligible volunteers who register to attend a DFES facility tour or workshop on Friday 8 September can book accommodation from Thursday 7 September.

12.3. Volunteers who are only attending the Awards gala dinner are not eligible for accommodation to be subsidised by DFES.

12.4. Accommodation for the 2024 WAFES Conference is at Crown Perth or Aloft Perth. All eligible volunteers will receive a king, queen or twin room including breakfast. Rooms are single occupancy unless attendees request to share with another volunteer.

12.5. All accommodation requests are made during registration.

12.6. Whereas DFES agrees to subside accommodation costs, guests are personally responsible for the associated security payment as follows:

Please note the below check-in payment security policy for accommodation:  

13. Travel and accommodation

13.1. Travel and accommodation for the WAFES Conference aligns with DFES’ Corporate Travel Policy and Procedures.  

13.2. DFES is required to exercise the strictest economy and accountability in relation to publicly funded travel and will ensure that:

• The most economical travel arrangements are used that meet the requirements of the traveller, using the State Government's preferred travel suppliers.
• Every effort is made to reduce the cost of travel and the number of officers travelling.
• Reimbursement for travel costs will therefore be based on the most economical means of transport available.

13.3. Travel allowance guidelines

a) Travel allowances may be payable where the Event is outside a radius of fifty (50) kilometres from a volunteer’s BGU headquarters, subject to these conditions, noting that where volunteers are the representative of another body that pays the travel expenses, there is no eligibility for reimbursement.

b) Where the Event is outside a radius of fifty (50) kilometres from a volunteer’s BGU headquarters :

• Volunteers should drive a DFES or service vehicle (if available and approved by the local District Officer) and carpool with other volunteers where possible. Use of DFES or service vehicles does not attract travel allowance.
• Front line fire or rescue vehicles must not be used.

c) If a volunteers is unable to source suitable transport consistent with clause 13.3(b), they may claim a motor vehicle allowance according to the mileage rates as set out in the DFES Corporate Travel Policy, subject to the maximum motor vehicle allowances set out in Table 1 and Table 2.

d) If a volunteer elects to drive and the volunteer’s BGU headquarters is within a fifty (50) kilometres radius of a regional airport, the motor vehicle allowance payable for travel to the Event shall not exceed the value of the commercial airfare. Refer to the airports listed in Table 1 for the relevant maximum motor vehicle allowances. Click here to view the BGUs within a 50 kilometre radius of a regional airport that these caps apply to.

e) If a volunteer elects to drive and the volunteer’s BGU headquarters is outside a fifty (50) kilometres radius of a regional airport, the motor vehicle allowance payable for travel to the WAFES Conference at Crown Perth shall not exceed the maximum allowances set out in Table 2. Click here to view a list of BGUs that these caps apply to and their distance from Crown Perth.

f) Attendees taking flights to the Event may claim:

• motor vehicle allowance for the distance to/from the BGU headquarters and the nearest regional airport.
• reimbursement of taxi fares incurred when travelling to or from Perth Airport to the place of accommodation (if transfer services are not provided).

13.4. Confirmation of travel bookings

a) Attendees requesting flights and/or accommodation via the WAFES Conference registration site will receive a confirmation email to their nominated email address.

b) Attendees are to check details in their bookings carefully. If attendees identify that an error has been made during the booking process, they must contact the Registration Manager as soon as possible after identifying the error.

c) Attendees may be subject to any fees charged for amending bookings subject to the clauses 13.6, 13.7 and 13.8.

13.5. Accommodation extension payment terms

a) Attendees who elect to extend their stay for personal reasons (such as visiting family and friends) will be charged any additional costs associated with accommodation extension.

b) Payment for accommodation extensions is due on completion of the online conference registration booking.

c) If accommodation extensions are not paid 14 days prior to the arrival date, the accommodation booking will be deemed cancelled.

13.6. Accommodation changes or cancellation

a) Attendees wishing to cancel or amend their accommodation bookings must contact the Registration Manager as soon as possible.

b) Attendees wishing to cancel or amend their booking may be liable if the accommodation vendor charges a cancellation or booking amendment fee.

13.6. Accommodation changes or cancellation

a) Attendees wishing to cancel or amend their accommodation bookings must contact the Registration Manager as soon as possible.

b) Attendees wishing to cancel or amend their booking may be liable if the accommodation vendor charges a cancellation or booking amendment fee.

13.7. Flight changes or cancellation

a) Attendees needing to make an amendment to their flight bookings will be liable for an amendment fee of $30.00 (ex GST) per ticket.

b) Attendees wishing to cancel their flight booking will be liable for an administration fee of $50.00 (ex GST) for every cancelled ticket.

c) Attendees will also be liable to any fees charged by the airline.

d) Attendees are to contact the Registration Manager as soon as possible to advise of their cancellation.

e) Attendees who cancel with advance notice (two weeks or more in advance) will not incur the cancellation fees as provided in clauses 13.7 (a) or (b).

f) Attendees who amend flights in order to extend their stay for personal reasons may also be responsible for bearing additional costs charged to DFES by the airline as a result of the change.

13.8. Review of cancellation fees:

a) All fees will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Attendees may contact the Registration Manager to discuss their circumstances.

13.9. Procedure for claiming travel expenses

a) Persons eligible to claim costs must supply relevant tax receipts to receive reimbursement.

b) Forms and tax receipts are to be submitted by Thursday 31 October 2024 to eventsandawards@dfes.wa.gov.au.

1. Motor vehicle allowance: regional attendees must submit a travel claim form. Refer to Appendix 1 for calculation instructions.
2. Parking reimbursement: regional attendees who incur parking fees at regional airports may claim reimbursement. Free parking is available at Crown Perth, therefore both paid parking and valet parking at Crown Perth will not be reimbursed.
3. Meal claims:

• Reimbursement for all meals claimed shall be at the rates set out in the Public Service Award Travel Allowance Schedule Rates.
• Meals include breakfast, lunch and/or dinner incurred while travelling or during the conference weekend, which are not supplied as part of the conference or accommodation booking. For example, volunteers registered to attend the Welcome Sundowner, WAFES Conference or Awards gala dinner are not eligible to claim a meal as a meal is supplied as part of the event.
• Alcoholic beverages are not eligible to be claimed and all receipts must clearly outline the beverage being claimed.
• Beverages and any incidentals within the hotel room (such as mini bar expenses or alcohol purchases) are not claimable

c) Liability

1. Attendees acknowledge and agree that so far as permitted by law, DFES will not be liable for any death, injury, financial loss or damage sustained by an attendee as a result of, or arising from any circumstance, including (but not limited to) travel to or from the event and financial losses arising from rescheduling or cancellation of the Event.
2. Attendees acknowledge and agree that so far as permitted by law, DFES will not be held responsible for the security of any attendee, nor for any personal belongings of attendees at the Event.

Table 1

Click here to view the BGUs within a 50 kilometre radius of a regional airport that the below caps apply to.

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Table 2

Click here to view a list of BGUs that the below caps apply to and their distance from Crown Perth.

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Motor Vehicle Allowance

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‍‍Appendix 1

Engine capacity

If you are unsure of your engine capacity visit carsguide.com.au and follow these steps:

• Click on “Pricing + Specs” in the horizontal grey tool bar at the top of the screen
• Select for vehicle’s make, model and year “Find a car’s price and specs” then click on “Show me the pricing and specs”
• Scroll down to the table with pricing and specs for vehicles. Select your vehicle from displayed results
• Scroll down to the heading “Tech Specs” and select the “Engine” dropdown box
• Copy the engine capacity figure onto the travel claim form.

Distance calculation

To calculate the distance you travel visit whereis.com and follow these steps:

• Select “Directions”
• Enter originating address in A
• Enter destination address in B
• Select “Fastest (without tolls)” from the drop-down
• Copy the distance figure into the travel claim form.

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