Koperberg to head NSW govt emergency body

Former Labor MP and Rural Fire Service (RFS) commissioner Phil Koperberg has been appointed as the new chair of the State Emergency Management Committee, NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has announced.
Mr O'Farrell told question time on Friday that Mr Koperberg would head the committee, which is responsible for advising government on the state's emergency response strategies.
Mr Koperberg retired at the 2011 election after just four years in politics, citing the "factional infighting" within the Labor party as a major reason for his decision to step down as Blue Mountains MP.
Mr O'Farrell said the former RFS chief was the "standout candidate" for the job.
"I think we've all seen... that this year, through the floods in Queensland, the earthquake in Christchurch and tsunami in Japan, the need to have the best possible strategic advice on dealing with natural disasters," he said.
"I've constantly said that I want the best person to the job, no matter who they may be.
"I don't care about their political persuasion, I care about their ability to do the job."
Mr O'Farrell accused the Labor Party of treating Mr Koperberg "shabbily" during his time in parliament.
"Here was a man that was rural fire service chief, demonstrated his credentials to assist this state in times of emergency but was never give a real chance by those opposite... because he didn't belong to one of the factions," Mr O'Farrell said.