Tuesday, 21 June 2022

 Ms LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (12:10): (1845) My question is for the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, the Rochester fire station is a 48-volunteer brigade currently operating in a station built in the early 1960s. The station is clearly unfit for a modern firefighting service, with walls cracking from the 2011 floods, no change room facilities and no showers. Female volunteers are forced to get changed in the station toilets while the male volunteers get changed in the engine bay when responding to an emergency. The recent state budget allocated the CFA just $49.6 million to build new stations and upgrade some of its 1200 fire stations, yet Fire Rescue Victoria were allocated $120.6 million towards just 85 stations. While Rochester’s 48 volunteers operate in a dilapidated station that is no longer fit for purpose, 16 FRV members enjoy the new $12 million Derrimut station, boasting a station gym, rec room and internal courtyard. Will the minister immediately allocate additional funding to the CFA to construct a new fire station for the Rochester fire brigade?