Both volunteer and professional firefighters voiced their concerns over the State’s CFA bill to Upper House committee hearings in Hamilton on Friday but Ballarat advocates spoke of their resolution to push ahead.
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Career and volunteer representatives from Ballarat, Warrnambool, and Portland integrated stations supported the proposed split but some volunteer brigades remained opposed.
Ballarat City CFA station officer in charge Anthony Pearce said he supported the proposed reform because it would provide an up-to date fire service to the community.
Mr Pearce, whose views were supported by Ballarat City CFA volunteer Nicole McGrath, said the proposed split was not creating friction between paid firefighters and volunteers at the Ballarat City CFA station. Mr Pearce told the committee that people at the integrated station had accepted things were going to change and “look each other in the eye.”
“They are smart people. They are there for the right reasons,” Mr Pearce said. He said there were some gaps in the CFA split bill that would present challenges but the reform would deliver high quality fire services. “It will not diminish the role of the volunteers. It is an opportunity for all volunteers to define their future, about what role they can contribute,” Mr Pearce said.
Committee member Labor MLC Shaun Leane said the committee would have to present a report based on evidence and the evidence presented so far was supportive of the proposed split.
He said the committee had been told that people in outer urban areas would be more at risk if the proposed chnages were not made.
Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria representative Owen O’Keefe, of Winslow countered there was evidence the CFA delivered a better standard of fire service than the Metropolitan Fire Brigade.
Under the government’s proposed plan, the MFB and all paid firefighters in the CFA will be merged into a new organisation called Fire and Rescue Victoria and the CFA would be made a volunteer-only organisation.
However the government’s plan was stalled in the Upper House with western Victorian MP James Purcell’s vote crucial in sending the bill to a committee for further consideration.
Earlier the paid firefighter in charge of the Warrnambool CFA station, Paul Marshall, said the proposed change was overdue. Mr Marshall’s views were supported by the Warrnambool volunteers’ leader Wayne Rooke. Mr Marshall said there had been a lot of misinformation on the issue by the media and politicians including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Horsham CFA captain John St Clair told the hearings said he was concerned at the lack of consultation with CFA volunteers about the proposed bill.
