Country Fire Authority resources
Peter WALSH (Murray Plains) (14:33): My question is to the Premier. Last week our emergency services volunteers and workers battled bushfires that, sadly, saw the loss of 45 homes in Pomonal and a home in Dadswells Bridge. In June 2020 Labor promised to deliver 48 heavy tankers to replace the CFA’s ageing single-cab tankers by late 2023. All those new tankers have not been delivered, leaving CFA volunteers and regional communities at risk. Premier, why has this Labor government broken its promise to upgrade the CFA’s ageing and dangerous tanker fleet?
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:34): The Leader of the National Party again would be wrong to characterise communities who are heading into tomorrow as having been left at risk. The Minister for Emergency Services addressed this issue last year in terms of the rollout of the fire tankers, and I am advised that around half of the tankers have been rolled out, but it would be incorrect to characterise that rollout as leaving those communities at risk, because my advice is they are replacement tankers. It comes in the context of the significant and additional funding we have provided to both the CFA and our broader emergency services across the state in recent years. I have seen this firsthand in my own local community with my own local brigade. I had the opportunity back in October to hand over the keys to a new tanker and acknowledge the great work of my own local brigade and be part of a number of other similar events across my own local community. Whether it is the work in rolling out the heavy tankers, the work in rolling out the $46 million for not just tankers but truck equipment, station upgrades –
Peter Walsh: On a point of order, Speaker, I ask you to bring the Premier back to answering the question. These trucks were promised by the end of 2023. We are now well into 2024, and quite a lot of them have not been delivered.
The SPEAKER: The Premier is being relevant to the question that was asked. I ask the Leader of the Nationals if he is making a point of order to make it succinctly.
Jacinta ALLAN: I answered the Leader of the National Party’s question at the outset, and I was then addressing his commentary around communities that have been supported with significant and additional investment that we have provided to the CFA, whether it is through tankers and trucks and station upgrades and equipment or also important support for volunteering and training for volunteers, who are such a big and important part of the CFA.
Again I want to thank the captain of the Dadswells Bridge CFA, Peter, who I met with last week, and the captain of the Mirboo north CFA, Trent Venten, who I met with last Friday. These are men and women who are supporting their communities, whilst also at times not knowing if their own home has been lost or their property is at risk. We thank them for that dedication and we thank them for that commitment. I also say this: I thank them for the training they do week in, week out to be ready for events like what we saw last week. They will be ready to go tomorrow as well. Let us hope tomorrow is not a day that we have fires or storms, but it is predicted to be a very difficult day again. I also ask Victorians to, in light of that, think about how we too can help our emergency services by making sure that we follow the advice, follow the warnings and, most importantly, support each other with accurate information.
Peter WALSH (Murray Plains) (14:37): Premier, 193 of the vehicles used by the CFA are more than 30 years old. Paul Stanley, captain of the Limestone brigade in north-east Victoria, has said that he does not ‘believe that these vehicles are safe in this day and age’ – a captain of the CFA’s words, not mine. Why won’t the government provide the vehicles that are necessary to keep our courageous volunteers safe?
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:38): In terms of the matter of the Limestone CFA, I will refer that to the Minister for Emergency Services. In regard to the broader commentary that has been put around the question by the Leader of the National Party, I am advised by the Minister for Emergency Services in terms of the tankers that they will be rolled out by the middle of the year. But, again, it is wrong to characterise that there has not been record and ongoing support to the CFA from our Labor government. It is a stark contrast. The Leader of the National Party was at the cabinet table when they cut the CFA budget. We have taken a very different approach and are providing support.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: The member for Euroa can leave the chamber for an hour.
Member for Euroa withdrew from chamber.