Wednesday, 27 November 2024

 Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (12:31): (764) My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Following the Portland wind turbine fire in June this year the government could not provide any information on built-in fire suppression equipment in the state’s thousands of wind turbines. Thousands of CFA volunteers and hundreds of communities have been left vulnerable. The state government is currently undertaking an overdue audit on fire suppression in wind turbines. When will you be releasing this audit?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:32): Thank you, Mr McCracken. You would appreciate that, as the Minister for Emergency Services, I am not undertaking an audit, so it would not be a report that I would be able to release.

 Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (12:32): What supports will the state be providing the thousands of CFA volunteers who may be faced with an out-of-control wind turbine fire this summer?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:33): Mr McCracken, I am more than happy to answer your question, but you might be a bit dissatisfied with it, because you are asking about operational matters. Time and time again I have explained to the house that it is just not appropriate for me to direct operations, direct training et cetera. I can assure you that these are matters for the CFA and the experts, the professionals – it is their job to ensure their protocols, the safety for their firefighters. I can assure you it is their priority, so I am very confident in the work that they do to support their volunteers.