Thursday, 14 November 2024

Fire Rescue Victoria

Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:24): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, the government knew as far back as 2022 that the 3G network would close, yet Fire Rescue Victoria crews are still left without proper alternatives to access station gates, forcing them to climb fences. Why is this government failing to provide basic support for firefighters who put their lives on the line?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:24): Thank you, Mr Welch, for the opportunity to address this issue in the Parliament. At the outset I want to thank FRV firefighters and staff for the work they do protecting Victorians every day. The way you have characterised the question does require some clarification, because I want to make it very, very clear that gates are still able to be opened at all FRV stations.

The issue that has been reported is limited to some stations and affects back gates at those stations. Effectively there is the ability to access and open those gates via your phone or via a security fob. Everybody at FRV has an issued security fob, and that has not been impacted. The phone activation of the back gates is what has been impacted in a small number of stations, and I am advised it will be rectified in due course.

I want to also confirm that these gates are not gates that are used to respond to an emergency. Those gates are at the front of the station. In relation to responding to a fire, a call-out, there is no impact on those gates. The back gates that are accessed are not for responding to an emergency. I can assure you that the security fobs, which every FRV staffer has been issued, remain working and able to open all of the gates.

The infrastructure team are currently going station to station just to make sure everybody is across the issue and to ensure that they know the mobile entry function is affected, but not the fob entry. There has been ongoing consultation with the telcos in relation to the impact on any emergency services, and contingencies have been put in place, as we have seen happen here.

Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:26): Thank you, Minister, for your answer. It is good to know that you are addressing things after the horse has bolted. Minister, the FRV’s fleet tracking is still reliant on the defunct 3G network –

Jaclyn Symes: What is?

Richard WELCH: The FRV’s fleet tracking.

Jaclyn Symes: No, it’s not. But okay.

Richard WELCH: Okay, we will see. It is reliant on the defunct 3G network, and the stopgap mobile phone solution is unreliable. Given the upcoming high-risk weather season, why is the government making it more difficult for fire trucks to get to a fire?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:26): We have just been having a conversation here on the government benches, actually, about questions that the opposition have been putting today and on other days in relation to whether they can authenticate the material that is backing up their questions. I can confirm, Mr Welch, that my advice is that the onboard trackers on some trucks have been affected. However, all trucks are equipped with a 5G-compatible mobile phone which enables vehicle tracking, and FRV is exploring options for a permanent solution in regard to that. But the 5G tracking –

Members interjecting.

Jaclyn SYMES: Your accusation that tracking is unavailable is not true.