Rob Rogers announces his resignation as RFS commissioner

The RFS boss issued a warning for the upcoming fire season while announcing he will step down next year.

Rural Fire Service Commissioner Rob Rogers will quit the firefighting agency next year, handing over the reins after the looming bushfire season.

The announcement comes amid efforts from the Minns government to implement a range of recommendations from an inquiry into the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20.

Mr Rogers insisted his decision to retire would not come as a shock to his colleagues, declaring he gave himself five years when he took over from long serving former commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons.

In an interview marking the announcement, Mr Rogers said the RFS is better off now than when he took over as commissioner, said the legal saga over $51 million in donations raised by comedian Celeste Barber was “annoying,” and issued a warning for this summer’s fire risk.

“I said when I first got the job that I do five years,” Mr Rogers said.

Mr Rogers will mark five years at the helm of the world’s largest volunteer fire service next July.

RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers will quit next year. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“I think people can become too stagnant if they stay there too long, and I think it’s ready for someone else to come in and do their thing,” he said.

While the government is still working to implement recommendations from an inquiry into the Black Summer bushfires, Mr Rogers said most of the hard work has already been done.

“Things like the call out systems … we’ve also got mobile data terminals going into trucks, now that works underway,” he said.

Former Emergency Services Minister David Elliott and then-Deputy RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers tour the devastation caused by bush fires in the small town of Wingella just outside of Bundanoon during th2020 bushfires. Picture: David Swift.

In his time as Commissioner, the RFS has increased its focus in technology and safety measures for volunteers, he said.

“I think the focus on firefighters is something that I’d like to hope (is) a legacy that I’d leave behind.”

Reflecting on his time in office, Mr Rogers said it was “annoying” that the RFS was embroiled in a scandal over how $51 million raised by comedian Celeste Barber could be spent.

Celeste Barber raised $51 million for the RFS in a massive online fundraiser. Picture: AAP Image

The money, raised in a massive online fundraiser, went to the RFS and Brigades Donation Fund trust as a recipient.

That led to a legal stoush about where the money could be spent, amid suggestions the money could be distributed to other states. The Supreme Court later ruled that money could go to the families of injured and killed fireys, but not to other organisations.

“That money’s absolutely been spent on helping volunteers,” Mr Rogers said.

Mr Rogers will leave after five years as commissioner. Picture: Tim Hunter.

He said he found the saga “quite annoying,” insisting that the RFS was clear at the time about how donations could be spent.

“I don’t want to take away from the fact that Celeste Barber did a great thing and raised a lot of money, and, you know, we’re eternally grateful for that.

“But, yeah, look, that was annoying.”

“They were the right intentions, but unfortunately, became a little bit cumbersome when it came to how that money got used.”

Looking ahead to the coming fire season, Mr Rogers said there could be a risk of massive grass fires if the weather dries up over spring.

“Going into spring, it’s not showing any indications of really drying yet (but) if it starts to become dry, then we’re going to have the potential of some significant grass fires,” he said.

The RFS has failed to come close to its hazard reduction targets this year, due to significant rain.

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