Australia's councils and government agencies are at the sharp edge of the electric vehicle transition — managing public charging infrastructure, electrifying fleets, and overseeing facilities that house and charge lithium-ion batteries every day. That leadership carries a legal and moral obligation to get fire safety right.

Across Australia in 2025, every state fire authority is sounding the same alarm: lithium-ion battery fires are rising sharply, and the existing fire safety frameworks governing public buildings and fleet depots were not built with these hazards in mind. For local councils, the message is clear — waiting for a fire to happen before reviewing your protocols is not a compliance strategy, it's a liability.

This guide explains what's changed, what the regulations now require of government agencies, and what practical steps councils can take today — including how to procure approved equipment through buy.nsw.

The Regulatory Landscape Has Shifted in 2025

The past twelve months have brought a wave of new obligations for government bodies managing EV infrastructure in Australia. Understanding what applies to your jurisdiction is the first step toward a defensible fire safety plan.

NSW: Mandatory Safety Standards & the NCC Special Hazards Clause

In February 2025, NSW Fair Trading brought mandatory safety standards for lithium-ion e-micromobility devices into force, requiring retailers, manufacturers, and operators to meet prescribed electrical safety criteria and provide point-of-supply fire and safety information (NSW Government, 2025a). Penalties for breach reach $5,500 per incident. Councils operating e-scooter hire programs, e-bike fleets, or public micromobility docking stations fall squarely within scope.

Separately, Fire and Rescue NSW's fire safety position paper makes clear that EVs and EV charging equipment constitute a "special hazard" under NCC 2022 Clause E1D17 — meaning council-owned car parks with EV bays should already be subject to a Special Hazard Assessment (FRNSW, 2025). Standard deemed-to-satisfy sprinkler provisions are insufficient to address the unique risks of thermal runaway.

Queensland: Special Hazard Assessment Now Expected

Queensland Fire Department formally classifies EVs and EV charging equipment as special hazards requiring specific consideration under NCC 2022 Clauses E1D17 and E2D21 (QFD, 2025). For any council-managed building development incorporating a car park, QFD expects a Special Hazard Assessment Report prepared by a qualified fire safety engineer. If your council car park was approved before 2024, it is almost certainly not covered.

Tasmania: A State-Specific EV Fire Safety Guideline

Tasmania Fire Service released a formal guideline in May 2025 specifically addressing EV charging infrastructure in the built environment (TFS, 2025). The guideline flags that EV firefighting can require enormous volumes of water and recommends councils consider firewater run-off, fire separation, and FDCIE integration in all new and upgraded public charging installations.

Austroads: A Framework for Road Agencies & First Responders

In December 2025, Austroads released a dedicated report and five-stage incident response framework to help road agencies and emergency services manage EV battery fire events (Austroads, 2025). The framework includes 17 recommendations on planning, deployment, scene management, and recovery — guidance that road-managing councils should integrate into their emergency response plans without delay.

State-by-State: What Applies to Your Council

Why Standard Fire Systems Fall Short

Council-managed facilities — car parks, fleet depots, maintenance yards — were designed and certified under fire codes that assumed internal combustion engine vehicles. Lithium-ion battery fires behave in fundamentally different ways, and those differences matter enormously in a public safety context.

Fire and Rescue NSW's 2025 literature review documents these hazards in detail, noting that LiB-related fires result in injuries at four times the rate of non-LiB fires attended by FRNSW, with the agency recording its first LiB-related fatalities in 2024 and 2025 (FRNSW, 2025). Austroads' December 2025 report similarly highlights that thermal runaway introduces hazards including jet-like flames, vapour cloud explosions, and delayed ignition requiring updated emergency procedures (Austroads, 2025).

Your Four Key Risk Areas as a Council

1. Public EV Charging Infrastructure

Council-owned and managed public charging stations require fire safety planning as a baseline obligation. This means lithium-rated fire suppression equipment stored at or near charging bays, clearly visible signage for emergency responders identifying electrical shutoffs, and integration with existing car park fire safety systems. Queensland Fire Department now expects Special Hazard Assessment Reports for all new carpark developments with EV bays (QFD, 2025).

Recommended equipment: EV Fire Blankets stored in clearly marked cabinets near charging bays — one blanket per public charging location or per 50 EV-designated spaces — alongside lithium-rated fire extinguishers mounted at each station.

2. Council Fleet Depot Charging Areas

As council fleets electrify — from passenger vehicles to waste collection trucks — depot charging infrastructure must be reflected in updated Workplace Health and Safety plans. Australian WHS guidelines now recommend specific fire safety measures for any workplace storing or charging lithium-ion battery-powered equipment, explicitly including government departments and councils (EV Fire Solutions, 2025). Overnight charging protocols, staff training, and clearly signposted emergency procedures are all required.

Recommended equipment: EV Fire Safety Bundles sized to your depot's charging capacity, covering both blankets and lithium-rated extinguishers for rapid first-response capability.

3. Council-Managed Car Parks

Existing council car parks were assessed and certified before EV prevalence was considered. Under NCC 2022's Clause E1D17, EVs and their charging equipment are now classified as special hazards requiring additional mitigating measures beyond standard deemed-to-satisfy provisions (FRNSW, 2025). Updated block plans, emergency response plans, and physical fire safety equipment upgrades are all warranted for any council car park that currently hosts or is expected to host EV charging.

4. Community Education & Public Micromobility

Councils operating or permitting shared e-scooter or e-bike programs have direct obligations under NSW's 2025 mandatory information standards, which require clear fire safety information at the point of supply for all e-micromobility devices (NSW Government, 2025b). Beyond compliance, IAG's research warns that Australia's lithium-ion battery market is growing faster than safety standards can keep pace with — making councils' community education role more important than ever (IAG, 2026). Safe charging signage, public awareness campaigns, and battery disposal programs are low-cost, high-impact measures councils can implement now.

Government Procurement via buy.nsw

EV Fire Solutions is listed on buy.nsw for government procurement, making it straightforward for NSW government agencies and local councils to purchase compliant EV fire safety equipment through approved procurement channels. This simplifies the purchasing process, ensures compliance with government procurement policies, and removes the need for individual tender processes for smaller orders.

We provide quotes formatted to government purchasing requirements and can support your procurement team from initial enquiry through to delivery. Bulk pricing is available for councils equipping multiple sites or fleet depots.

The Recommended Government Fire Safety Package

For councils and government agencies managing public charging infrastructure and electrifying fleets, EV Fire Solutions recommends a layered approach covering four core elements.

EV Fire Blankets for Public Charging Locations

Stored in clearly marked cabinets near charging bays, EV Fire Blankets allow council staff, security personnel, or first responders to quickly contain a vehicle fire before fire services arrive. One blanket per public charging location, or per 50 EV-designated spaces, is our baseline recommendation.

Lithium-Ion Rated Fire Extinguishers

Specialised lithium-ion fire extinguishers mounted at public charging stations and fleet depot charging bays provide critical first-response capability that standard extinguishers cannot offer. These suppress thermal runaway at the cellular level, buying vital time before emergency services arrive.

Lithium-Ion Containment Bags

For councils managing e-bike share programs or facilities with smaller lithium-ion devices, lithium-ion battery containment bags provide a safe method of isolating a device in thermal runaway and preventing fire spread to adjacent property or vehicles.

Signage, Block Plans & Emergency Planning

Physical equipment must be accompanied by updated documentation — revised block plans for all council facilities with EV charging infrastructure, updated emergency response procedures covering EV-specific fire scenarios, and clear public signage guiding emergency responders to shutoffs and equipment locations.

Action Checklist for Councils in 2025

If you're a council officer, fleet manager, or facilities manager responsible for EV infrastructure, here is a practical starting point.

Audit your current fire safety documentation. Review all block plans, emergency response plans, and WHS assessments for any council-managed facility that contains EV charging infrastructure or an electrifying fleet. If EVs are not specifically addressed, your plan is incomplete.

Assess whether a Special Hazard Report is required. In NSW, QLD, ACT, and TAS, councils may already be required to commission a Special Hazard Assessment for car parks with EV bays. Consult your state's fire authority guidelines and check NCC 2022 Clauses E1D17 and E2D21.

Procure the right equipment for your sites. Standard fire extinguishers and blankets are not rated for lithium-ion fires. Identify the number and location of charging bays across your facilities and calculate the minimum equipment requirements. Contact EV Fire Solutions for a tailored quote.

Train your staff. Your facilities and fleet staff should know what a thermal runaway event looks and sounds like, what not to do (never approach a burning EV), and where the nearest EV-rated fire equipment is stored.

Establish a review cycle. Austroads' 2025 report recommends ongoing review and collaboration as EV technologies and emergency response practices evolve (Austroads, 2025). Build an annual review of your EV fire safety plan into your council's safety management calendar.