Western Victoria Region
Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:50): (1366) My constituency question for the Minister for Emergency Services concerns the Bellbrae CFA station. Bellbrae’s volunteer brigade protects local residents, but they are also a key staging area for the Otway Ranges in the event of a catastrophic fire. Yet, shockingly, they do not have access to mains water. They have to drive kilometres away to Torquay to fill up their fire trucks. It is bad enough for training but inconceivable in an emergency. It is a fact of life that at some point another major bushfire will happen in the Otways, yet the unacceptable reality is that fire trucks will return from all across western Victoria to a staging point which does not have onsite water. Close by, Bellbrae Primary School has water, the hall next door has water and the Bellbrae recreation reserve maintains its oval with mains water. So, Minister, when will you act to ensure safety and peace of mind for the community?