Hansard debates

Mrs McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (14:05): My constituency question is for the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and concerns the devastating reforms inflicted upon the CFA by the Andrews government. All CFA career firefighters will transfer to Fire Rescue Victoria on 1 July 2020, and I am told that discussions surrounding their secondment back to the CFA are going badly. CFA volunteers believe their organisation has been completely marginalised, and I have been contacted by one who feels, quote, ‘ignored and bulldozed aside’. The one I am quoting is resigning from the CFA after more than two decades of dedicated volunteer service. He believes the promises made on consultation and the deeper statutory obligations have not been met. I ask the minister to assure me that the dedication of volunteers is being properly recognised, that genuine consultation is being done, that staffing levels will be maintained and that despite the transfer of staff the service to the people of Western Victoria will be maintained.