Tuesday, 18 February 2020

Country Fire Authority Warrandyte station

Mr R SMITH (Warrandyte) (19:04): (1865) Given that my adjournment tonight is in relation to the CFA, I would like to start off by just putting on the record my sincere thanks to all of the CFA brigades in the Warrandyte electorate for their hard work, their bravery and their commitment during the recent Victorian and New South Wales fires. Crews and tankers from Warrandyte North, Warrandyte, Wonga Park and Warrandyte South CFAs were on the ground in New South Wales and in regional Victoria from October 2019 whilst keeping our own communities safe at the same time. So I just want to put that on record.

As such my adjournment matter tonight is directed to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. As the minister is aware, the Warrandyte CFA recently applied for the 2019–20 volunteer emergency services equipment program (VESEP), which had brief support from the minister when I raised it last in this place, support which then evaporated along with the chances of Warrandyte CFA’s application. In recent correspondence the minister stated that the Victorian government ‘values the work of the Warrandyte CFA brigade who dedicate their time and skills to keeping the community safe’. The minister also stated in her correspondence that the Warrandyte CFA needed to provide ‘further detail and information’ for their grant application.

I viewed the brigade’s application and can confidently say that this thorough 40-page document clearly states all the relevant information and details for the proposed works. The minister may also want to have her department re-look at the information they have about previous VESEP grants, because in her letter the minister claims that the Warrandyte CFA received such a grant in 2016–17, which simply is not true.

The minister also claims that the CFA’s land and building service will be working closely with the brigade to re-scope the project. That is yet to happen, and it is very unfortunate that the government did not believe that the safety of the Warrandyte volunteers was such a high priority when they denied this grant request. In the absence of the minister’s support, this highly respected brigade will have to continue to break OH&S regulations and be forced to change into their turnout gear in the engine bay of the station whilst doing their best to keep our community and others safe. So I would ask the minister to direct the CFA to approve this application or make funds available through other forms to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of these volunteers is no longer being put at risk.