Thursday, 6 March 2025

Eastern Victoria Region

Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:51): (1448) My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. My Gippsland and Eastern Victoria volunteers in the CFA are a cherished and valuable species indeed. Working to protect life and property, they make an outstanding contribution to our communities. New recruits build capacity in the system, and Gippsland brigades are frustrated that there is a significant delay in new recruit training – in some cases over five months delay for a general firefighting course to occur. This government has disrespected our CFA volunteers for over a decade. I ask the minister: in addition to replacing those outdated and old trucks in the CFA in my Eastern Victoria Region, will the minister expedite the initial fire training, including GFF, to enable these new recruits to get out on the fireground and do what they need to do and serve our communities?