Tuesday, 14 May 2024

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (13:02): (843) My constituency question is for the Minister for Emergency Services and concerns this government’s appalling disregard for VICSES volunteers and units. They are incredibly important to communities in regional Victoria. Over 4800 volunteers last year contributed 287,373 hours of their time responding to accidents, floods, storms, landslides and the like. Yet despite experiencing one of their busiest ever years, Labor’s recent budget gave zero new funding for equipment or infrastructure. Worse, pre-election commitments have still either not been funded at all or will be delayed yet further. Despite the new $186 million hike of the fire services levy, VICSES volunteers get nothing. I want to thank the volunteers who have contacted me from units across Western Victoria, including Ararat, Ballarat, Bellarine, Lismore, Lorne, Marong, Maryborough, South Barwon and Wedderburn, and ask the minister: when will you give these volunteers the support they deserve?