Thursday, 19 October 2023

 Annabelle CLEELAND (Euroa) (14:42): (372) My constituency question is for the Minister for Emergency Services in the other place, and the question I ask is: will the minister provide a replacement schedule time line for CFA appliances in the Euroa electorate? Reports today indicate more than half of Melbourne’s fire truck fleet is over 15 years old, and information from my local CFA brigades suggest our regional fleets are significantly outdated. So many of our local brigades are stuck with the majority of their vehicles, pumpers and tankers being over 20 years old. Many other CFA appliances are listed as being over 30 years old. A report from the Grattan Institute shows the dangers associated with trucks this old: carcinogens causing serious illness and death, increased carbon emissions and pollution. Having met with fire brigade captains and several volunteers recently, there are serious concerns about these ageing vehicles as well as the culture of the CFA as it deals with a lack of funding and support from the Labor government. Our CFA brigades are in desperate need of appliances that are fit for purpose to protect our dedicated volunteers and to protect our communities.