Friday 21 December 2018
Volunteer and career firefighters who have developed cancer or other illnesses as a result of keeping our communities safe deserve equal compensation Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh has said.
In State Parliament this week Premier Daniel Andrews refused to guarantee that volunteers and career firefighters would be treated equally in Presumptive Rights legislation.
“Our firefighters support our communities at times when we need help the most they deserve our full support” Mr Walsh said.
“Daniel Andrews claims country Victorian’s want a split of the fire services but he couldn’t be more wrong.
“After a state election where Labor focused on winning city seats it’s no wonder Labor is more out of touch than ever with what Regional Victorians want.
“Daniel Andrews’ split of the fire services is only about handing Labor’s militant union supporters control of the CFA making it harder for volunteers to keep our communities safe.”
Labor’s attempts to destroy the CFA are taking a toll on our fire services with an annual report that was hidden by Labor until after the State Election revealing more than 1000 volunteers left the organisation in the past 12 months.
At the same time wages and allowances for career firefighters blew out by $24 million.
“Country Victorians didn’t vote for a split of the CFA” Mr Walsh said.
“Our CFA volunteers include local farmers business people and younger members of our communities who selflessly give up their time to help protect us when we need it most.
“Our volunteer firefighters deserve a guarantee they’ll be treated equally to career firefighters if they’ve developed an illness as a result of keeping our communities safe.”