Tuesday, 17 March 2026

 Nick McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (22:01): (2416) My adjournment debate for tonight relates to the SES and in particular the SES Whitehorse unit. I had the good fortune of visiting the SES Whitehorse unit last night in fact, although it seems some time ago because my days are long. It was my good fortune because for some time I have been wanting to see their facilities. The SES Whitehorse unit is based, or co-located you could say, with Whitehorse City Council. They provide those facilities for a peppercorn rent to the Whitehorse SES, who have been stationed there for many years. Sadly, however, those facilities are not fit for purpose. That is absolutely clear. Part of the opportunity last night was to go on a tour of the facility. To begin with, the facility is on a slope and that slope is in the order of a differential from one end to the other of something like 6 feet – that is right, 6 feet. You can imagine what it is like to have two appliances or more there – in this case up to four appliances in the bay itself and then another two trailers outside. That is absolutely not fit for purpose. Some of the steel is showing signs of decay and rust. In addition to that, they have no toilet facilities whatsoever.

There is no transition room for the crew, the volunteers, the men and women who turn up to respond to emergencies day in, day out. There is no place for them to get changed, would you believe. Nor is there a place, as I have said, to go to the toilet – not even a bathroom. There is not a sink for them to wash their hands in after they have been out to a rescue or a job, which can include assisting our firefighters – both our professional firefighters and our CFA volunteer firefighters – Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police. It occurred to me after the visit last night that our wonderful volunteers for the SES, in my area at least, Whitehorse and Maroondah, are continually and consistently being called upon to do the work that perhaps, for example, the police force are under-resourced for and cannot do at the moment through no fault of their own; therefore the service the SES provide is even more vital. It is somewhat stunning that the Whitehorse SES are continuing to do this when they do not have, as I have said, a facility that is fit for purpose. They need desperately to find land.

Therefore my adjournment debate tonight is for the Minister for Emergency Services in the other place, and it is for her to urgently assist in finding land that is appropriate for this SES unit to relocate to. As the President would well know, the current site that they are looking at in Vermont is just one of the many sites and options. It is owned by FRV currently. It is not appropriate. There are many access and other issues related to that site. The SES Maroondah unit desperately need appropriate land to be found so that they can begin constructing a new home for our wonderful SES volunteers in Whitehorse.