Thursday, 24 March 2022

Fire Rescue Victoria

Ms BURNETT-WAKE (Eastern Victoria) (12:08): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, isn’t it a fact that Fire Rescue Victoria has one chief fire officer, six deputy chief fire officers, 57 assistant chief fire officers and 237 commanders to manage 3698 operational staff while Victoria Police has one chief commissioner, six deputy commissioners, 16 assistant commissioners and 13 commanders to manage over 18 000 operational personnel? Minister, how do you explain this by-product of the Premier’s secret deal with Peter Marshall in return for support prior to the 2018 state election?

Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:09): I am just having a look to see if there is anything in my folder that has the detail of the operational positions within FRV. I might have to have a look at that. I will have to take your word for it on police, because that is not my responsibility. However, I will not be making any apology for the hardworking staff and the investment that this government makes to keep Victorians safe. In relation to FRV and firefighters, they do a fantastic job, supported by CFA and the volunteers there. This government has made investments in both agencies and no doubt will continue to do so. Under our government we have increased firefighter numbers because you need to respond to community risk. You need to ensure that people can respond appropriately to incidents that happen in the community.

A member interjected.

Ms SYMES: Pretty much. And I would not really say that the organisations are that comparable. They respond to really different things, so I do not think you could say that one particular agency should have the same make-up as another agency—the way they are structured, the way their different areas are structured, they do not have the same geographical areas of command, they cross over differently. I just do not think the comparison is very fair. But I guess the crux of your question is that you are concerned about the investment that we make in fire services, and we are not.

Ms BURNETT-WAKE (Eastern Victoria) (12:11): Minister, will you seek to have the number of management positions at Fire Rescue reviewed? Is it a fact that a ratio of one management position per 12 firefighters compared to one management position per 508 police officers is okay?

Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:11): Ms Burnett-Wake, I answered this question in response to your substantive in that I do not agree with the position that you can compare these agencies in any way. Again, if you are concerned about having too many highly qualified people protecting the state, then that is on you.