Thursday, 18 June 2026

 Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (03:47): (2611) It is now 10 to 4 in the morning, and I am just doing my adjournment, which is for the Minister for Emergency Services. The action that I seek is for the minister to urgently allocate funding to build new CFA fire stations in Yarrawonga and Axe Creek, which were ignored in the 2026–27 state budget. Volunteers at Yarrawonga and Axe Creek CFA brigades fought a hard summer fire season and showed outstanding bravery in protecting their communities and helping their neighbours, yet they still do not have the firefighting facilities that they need. It is a disgrace that the Allan Labor government has once again refused to include funding in the state budget for new fire stations in Yarrawonga and Axe Creek.

The problems at the existing stations are well known. Yarrawonga is an old station that is no longer fit for purpose and too small to house larger new appliances. The brigade has had to turn down the chance of a new tanker and pumper because they are too big to fit in the truck bays. I raised the urgency of a new station back in 2020, and the government said it was aware of the needs of the Yarrawonga fire brigade. Yet despite being the top priority for district 22 for many years, the Labor government has failed to fund a new fire station every year since then, including in the most recent budget. Axe Creek brigade is even more desperate for a new station. They currently have no change rooms and only a single portable toilet connected to a sewer tank for the whole crew. There is no running hot water or proper handwashing station and no storage space for their turnout gear. Crews have nowhere to wash their breathing apparatus other than on the truck apron, which is contrary to the CFA standard operating procedures.

Both stations fail to meet current health and safety standards, and that hurts their ability to keep existing members and recruit new ones. Worst of all, the lack of adequate facilities at both stations impedes operational readiness and effectiveness. Seconds can make the difference between life and death when a bushfire is moving fast, and these brigades deserve to have the right facilities and equipment to do the job that their community relies on them to do. We know the government can afford it. Labor intends to rip $6.8 billion in taxpayers money over the next few years through the emergency services tax; the CFA will only see a small part of that money while Labor ignores vital projects like new stations for Yarrawonga and Axe Creek. Labor’s financial mismanagement and overspending on consultants has led to massive cost blowouts and endless delays on other promised new stations. The member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas promised a facility upgrade at Riddells Creek CFA in 2018. Eight years later, it still has not been built. New stations were promised in 2020 for other towns in my electorate – for Hoddles Creek, Kinglake, Raywood and Keysborough. Six years later, they still have not been built. Three of these towns were affected by the 2009 Black Saturday fires. Labor’s failure – (Time expired)