Last week Member for Euroa Steph Ryan said a Nationals government would rebuild and restore the Country Fire Authority as an independent volunteer-based self-governing fire service, while Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell praised the Liberals for similar calls.
The promises come after the Victorian Government this week transitioned all career-only firefighters to a new brigade called Fire Rescue Victoria, with the Country Fire Authority now a stand-alone community-based volunteer firefighting service.
Ms Ryan said the Victorian Government was treating selfless CFA volunteers like dirt under its shoes and the CFA was now effectively controlled by the United Firefighters Union.
“If the Nationals are in government, we will work with volunteers and brigades across the state to rebuild and restore the CFA,” Ms Ryan said.
“This will include repealing provisions of Labor’s disastrous legislation which undermines the capacity of the CFA to function as an independent, autonomous, fire service and enshrining in law the power for the CFA to select, recruit and manage its own staff.
“We will also ensure that CFA staff wear the CFA uniform and we will require the CFA board to sign up to the Volunteers’ Charter, which was legislated in 2012,” she said.
Ms Lovell said her government would, in its first 100 days of power, restore the CFA’s role to select, recruit and manage its own staff, wear the CFA uniform and enhance the CFA’s powers and responsibilities for the ongoing delivery of fire services in current CFA areas.
The Liberals have also promised to appoint an independent Commissioner for Emergency Services Volunteers, within Emergency Management Victoria, with the power to investigate issues raised by volunteers, make recommendations on policies and practices, plus general dispute handling and arbitration powers.
“CFA volunteers have risked their lives protecting their communities for over 75 years but have been let down and alienated by a premier who doesn’t have their back,” Ms Lovell said.
“The Liberal Party knows that Victorian communities want the CFA reinstated and only a Liberal government will deliver that peace of mind — not only to those who rely on them, but the thousands of volunteers who put their lives on the line each day,” she said.
However, a government spokesperson said nothing had changed for the majority of volunteers.
“As a strengthened volunteer firefighting CFA, they’ll continue to provide a valuable service to their communities, including vital day-to-day support as well as surge capacity for campaign or other major fire events,” the spokesperson said.
“Our legislation enshrines in law the ongoing role of volunteer firefighters and the requirements of the CFA to continue to support, train and retain volunteers.
“We’ve backed that in with a $126 million dollar investment for the CFA to go towards critical training and equipment, and we will continue to invest in our volunteers to ensure the CFA has the funding necessary to remain a strong and sustainable agency.”
The government also said volunteers in integrated brigades would continue to have a home and space as they did now in the stations and all equipment and appliances purchased by volunteers would remain in their assets.
More local news
Community assured fire services will not be affected by merger
Locals invited to write a message to thank local heroes