Daniel Andrews has ramped up his attack on Country Fire Authority volunteers, with plans to split Victoria’s biggest volunteer organisation.
 
Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, said Labor’s secret cabinet committee – designed to tear apart the CFA – put its proposal to Cabinet on Monday.
 
“We have it on good authority the proposal attempts to split the CFA into a country volunteer-only body, which would likely result in thousands less volunteers protecting Victoria, so I encourage CFA members and supporters across the region to fight the split,” Mr Bull said
 
“Splitting the CFA to hand over suburban areas to career firefighters would devastate the organisation’s ability to provide surge capacity to rural areas and would put the safety of local communities at risk in the event of a large scale fire.
 
“Within weeks, Mr Andrews has cut $47 million from the Emergency Management budget, is expecting a reduction of more than 3500 volunteers and is now planning to split the CFA.”
 
In Question Time this week, the Premier evaded questions as to whether he will forcibly remove CFA volunteers from 35 fire stations right across Victoria or whether he intends to split the CFA.
 
“Our local brigades have served the community with the upmost professionalism, yet Mr Andrews thinks they aren’t doing a good enough job. I disagree and stand by our local volunteer firefighters,” Mr Bull said.
 
“For nearly two years now, Mr Andrews has been at war with Victoria’s 60,000 CFA volunteers. He has not only shown a complete lack of respect for our CFA members, but many fear he is putting the safety of Victorians at risk by breaking up something that works.”

Wednesday, May 10, 2017