Thursday, 31 October 2024

Country Fire Authority

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:35): (723) My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, Victoria invested heavily in upgrades to the CFA fleet following the devastating Ash Wednesday fires in 1983. That was more than 40 years ago, yet much of the equipment delivered in the following years is still in operation. A CFA group officer in my electorate tells me that three of the six brigades in his area have tankers over 30 years old. The original lifespan for trucks was 25 years, yet thanks to budget cuts in recent years there are 474 CFA trucks older than 26 years and 230 more than 31 years old. Some brigades in Victoria are operating two-wheel drive 30-plus-year-old vehicles with single cabs, so volunteers are riding into dangerous bushfires on the back of the truck. Minister, is that good enough?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:36): I thank Mrs McArthur for her question. I can assure you that safety is the number one priority of the CFA, and to make a claim that there are firefighters driving into fire in unprotected vehicles and unsafe conditions is frankly false. Your characterisation that firefighters drive into the middle of fires is actually just a little bit inflammatory, but it gives me a great opportunity to put some facts on the table.

I again and again love meeting with CFA volunteers. They are fantastic, salt of the earth people that are there to protect their communities each and every day. This year’s budget committed $18.6 million to deliver 15 replacement urban response pumpers to the CFA. The CFA is also rolling out 48 heavy tankers and two light tankers, funded as part of the CFA capability program. The heavy tankers that have recently been delivered include to Mildura, Ballan, Creswick, Daylesford, Miners Rest, Wendouree and many other brigades. When I go and visit these brigades that are the beneficiaries of brand new trucks what regularly happens is their existing truck moves to perhaps a smaller brigade and it becomes an extension of the fleet. You do have some older trucks in the fleet, because they do not decommission them if they are safe, if they are functional and if they can be useful to other brigades in the state. I want to also thank the hardworking mechanics who are out there each and every day, going around the state ensuring those trucks are fit for purpose. If there are any trucks that are unsafe, then they are decommissioned. They are not sent to fight fires with firefighters on them.

In relation to the CFA base budget for fleet vehicle replacements, it is around $13 million per year, and we will continue to invest and back our CFA volunteers.

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:38): Thank you, Minister, for that response. It is no comfort at all to my CFA volunteer and their over-30-year-old trucks, but anyway. My supplementary question is: the current rate of replacement of CFA trucks will see 40-year-old vehicles in operation in the near future. CFA volunteers thought the fire services levy would allow investment to replace the fleet, but they have been sadly disappointed. The recent massive hike in the levy adds insult to injury. The farmers paying a $1100 levy for their properties are the same volunteers being sent out in substandard equipment. As the volunteer said to me:

You would not accept a 30 year old car to drive around in why should volunteer’s accept a 30+ year old truck to drive towards a bushfire.

Minister, do you accept that inadequate equipment is a serious contributor to CFA volunteers feeling undervalued and the exact reason why volunteer numbers have collapsed?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:39): There is a little bit wrong with your question, particular the end of it. Volunteer numbers are going up, and I have outlined that numerous times. We are looking at operational numbers of around 33,500 this year. They are on the up. If you continue talk them down, who is going to want to go and join brigades, when you are continually talking negatively about our CFA?

But what I want to confirm is vehicle safety and ensuring they are appropriately –

Members interjecting.

Sonja Terpstra: On a point of order, President, Mr Davis was aggressively pointing, and I would ask that he not aggressively point in the chamber.

The PRESIDENT: I uphold the point of order. I do not know if I would term it aggressive, but pointing –

David Davis interjected.

The PRESIDENT: Actually, Ms Terpstra, that is another timely point of order, because I have noticed that during recent weeks there has been a lot of pointing from all directions – not just any one direction – during contributions. I uphold the point of order that members should not be pointing at other members while interjecting or making contributions.

Sheena Watt: On a separate point of order, President, with respect to the noise in the chamber from those opposite as the minister was giving her response. I know some on this side were very interested to hear about our substantial support for volunteers.

The PRESIDENT: I uphold that point of order as well. Can the minister be heard in silence.

Jaclyn SYMES: I can reaffirm that vehicles in the CFA are subject to annual testing and fire-worthy inspection by qualified technical staff. They ensure that they are in working order and they are operational and, most importantly, that they are safe. It is the CFA’s focus that vehicle safety is the number one priority, to ensure that they are appropriately equipped and fit for purpose, and that is regardless of age. I will give you a list of the VESEP grants in your area as a great opportunity to go and talk about the investment in the – (Time expired)