Wednesday, 2 April 2025

 Bridget VALLENCE (Evelyn) (19:09): (1105) Montrose CFA fire brigade is an exceptional local fire brigade. Captain Matt Jalowicki, the brigade management team and the volunteer firefighters of the Montrose fire brigade work tirelessly to keep our community safe, and we saw no better example of this than last month when the Montrose community was confronted with a severe and fast-moving bushfire at the Dr Ken Leversha Reserve off Sheffield Road in Montrose. The Montrose CFA brigade worked together as one with more than 30 other CFA brigades, FRV and Forest Fire Management Victoria to fight that fire and protect our community. Now more than ever this brigade needs a new pumper to ensure it can continue to do the important work to fight fires given the complex needs of Montrose and surrounds, so the matter I raise is for the Minister for Emergency Services. The action I seek is for the minister to allocate funding in the upcoming 2025–26 state budget for a new pumper for the Montrose CFA fire brigade.

While I note a very small fleet of new pumpers was allocated to other brigades last year, which will only really go a small way to replacing the CFA’s ageing fleet, unfortunately the Montrose fire brigade missed out despite being at the top of the priority list for replacement, as detailed in the Country Fire Authority’s strategic district 13 plan. The government surely can see now, after the major bushfire event only a few weeks ago that highlighted the high-risk profile of Montrose, that Montrose fire brigade needs a new pumper truck. In fact, had the government responded to my adjournment request on this same topic in August last year, more than seven months ago, where I requested this same action, for a new pumper to be supplied to Montrose fire brigade, this would have helped these amazing and dedicated volunteer firefighters in their firefighting effort at the Sheffield Road bushfire last month.

The work of Montrose fire brigade extends far beyond that of last month’s bushfire. Based on the latest data available, Montrose fire brigade has had a 30 per cent increase in call volume over the past two financial years, surpassing 300 call-outs last year. Montrose’s response area includes a high concentration of industrial sites, a quarry, approximately 3500 residential homes and major state government roadways, all of which contribute to a significantly high operational demand.

Montrose fire brigade services additional critical areas like Mooroolbark, Mount Evelyn, Kalorama, Mount Dandenong, Lilydale and Bayswater, and they have been patient for years, waiting for a much-needed new pumper to address their growing workload and the frequent equipment failures of their existing appliance. So on behalf of the Montrose fire brigade and the entire Montrose community, I seek this action of the minister and hope that the funding and supply of a new pumper for Montrose can be confirmed in the upcoming state budget. I want to again take this opportunity to thank the Montrose CFA fire brigade members for their tremendous, dedicated service to our community.