Wednesday, 27 November 2024

 Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (19:00): (1326) My adjournment is to the Minister for Emergency Services, and the action I seek is for the minister to advocate for the establishment and financial support of a network of nationally accredited large animal incident rescue, or LAIR, units in Victoria and to initiate this training firstly through our CFA and SES volunteers in Victoria.

Horses, ponies, donkeys and mules are all an integral part of our recreational equine community, as are our important larger farm animals. Unfortunately, road accidents involving these animals are a distressing reality. The Arthurs Creek LAIR team, who I have met with a number of times, has conducted over 150 rescues in the past five years, demonstrating the urgent need for specialised training and resources. What the LAIR team are calling for is funding to conduct a two-year pilot program to train eligible volunteers from the CFA and SES in LAIR skills. We currently only have a few CFA volunteers who are trained, and they are servicing the whole state. They had to take their training in the UK, so we have a lack of trained volunteers.

Large animal incident rescue is where specialist trained responders assist trapped livestock and horses in the event of a truck or float incident or when trapped in a waterway or collapsed septic tank or following a flood event. In Victoria there are volunteer members of the CFA who privately funded expert training for the skills required to assist trapped large animals. Imagine that – under this government they have had to privately fund their own training. Currently this valuable service to animal owners is not officially available. You may or may not get help if you ring 000. Do not even let me go on that tangent.

All of the resources required to deliver nationally accredited skill sets for LAIR have been developed, a registered training organisation is interested in using experienced members of the Arthurs Creek CFA LAIR unit and delivery is ready to commence in the near future. It will create a network of strategically placed available units across Victoria capable of responding to large animal road incidents. The main goal is to set up a network of eight units around the state of Victoria that are trained with accredited members of local CFA units. They are seeking recognition of the value of a large animal rescue team for animal owners that are in crisis. There is a great risk of humans being hurt or killed whilst attempting to free their trapped livestock or horses. This type of rescue requires specialist skills and training, and the secondary goal is to fund the volunteer capacity building for the CFA LAIR units around the state. The cost would be approximately only $200 per person and could ultimately result in a pool of 80 personnel statewide. As the equine population continues, as we have continued needs for our livestock, this is an important – (Time expired)