Tuesday, 5 March 2024

Clyde North fire services

Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:16): (439) My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. I do agree that our emergency services do a great job, but on Sunday a fire ripped through a property on Spartan Avenue, Clyde North, destroying eight garages and damaging three adjoining homes. The property is located just 350 metres, or under 1 minute travel time, from where the Clyde North Fire Rescue Victoria station that your government promised in 2017 was to be built. Minister, why haven’t you built this station, leaving local residents at risk?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:17): Thank you, Mrs Hermans, for your question. I have sought advice in relation to the house fire at Clyde North. It was responded to by the Clyde, Berwick, Narre Warren, Hampton Park and Beaconsfield units, and I am advised that the Clyde CFA tanker arrived first on the scene from the nearby satellite station and it arrived within the service delivery standards time frame. FRV and CFA pumpers also arrived on the scene just after the Clyde CFA tanker. The response from crews was well coordinated and, I am advised, extremely quick.

A number of other CFA and FRV vehicles also attended the blaze and saved the townhouses from being further impacted. I am advised that the fire developed very quickly due to the lightweight, open construction of the townhouses, with no fire separation material or constructions present. This is now the subject of further investigation by the city council municipal building surveyor and CFA manager of community safety to determine if the construction was within building regulations and codes. I am sure that that information will be provided to your community. FRV and CFA do ensure that the Clyde North community is –

Ann-Marie Hermans: On a point of order, President, it is great that we are getting lots of information about who did attend the actual fire, but the question is: why has this particular station that was promised not yet been built?

The PRESIDENT: I think the minister is being relevant. At the end of her answer there she was talking about construction and things within code – sorry to paraphrase. I will let the minister continue her answer.

Jaclyn SYMES: Thank you, President. In regard to the Clyde North fire station, planning is well underway. FRV and CFA continue to ensure that the Clyde North community is provided with a high level of service and that there is no unacceptable risk to community safety.

Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:19): It is great that you are in the planning stage, but Minister, when this station was announced in 2017 the then Minister for Suburban Development, the member for Mill Park, stated:

We’re getting on with … delivering critical infrastructure for the future needs of Victorians, so families in growing areas have the services they need.

Considering that commitment was seven years ago, what will you say to the families who cannot return to their homes because Labor cannot deliver on its promises?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:20): I think it would be appropriate for me to repeat my answer from the previous response, and that was that the FRV and CFA continue to ensure the Clyde North community is provided with a high level of service, and there is no unacceptable risk to community safety.