Tuesday, 8 March 2022

Western Metropolitan Region

Dr CUMMING (Western Metropolitan) (12:17): (1665) My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services in the other place, and it is from John, one of my constituents. When will the mandates for firefighters from Fire Rescue Victoria be removed in Western Metro? John wrote to me on behalf of a number of firefighters stood down since mid-October. During the first 18 months of COVID they served their community with commitment and diligence, despite the unknowns of the situation during that time. Since vaccines were rolled out and mandated they have been discarded, even though FRV has sustained no COVID cases in the workplace. Those at home are unable to work and are struggling. Many have young families and are sole income earners. Many of them have had COVID and are fully recovered, but the FRV are preventing them from returning with valid exemptions.