The Allan Labor Government has failed to explain how regional communities will be protected after Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) trucks were taken offline due to faults.
In Question Time today, Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Emergency Services, Danny O’Brien, asked the Minister for Environment, Steve Dimopoulos, how many communities have had their local firefighting capacity reduced as CFA and SES appliances are called on to replace missing FFMV vehicles.
The Minister dodged the question entirely launching into a long defence claiming the agency “has all the resources they need to fight fires” but failing to explain how.
When pressed again, Mr Dimopoulos refused to provide any figures, dismissing the issue as “not newsworthy.”
Mr O’Brien said Victorians deserved transparency about the impact of Labor’s mismanagement.
“This was a simple question — how many CFA and SES trucks have been pulled off the frontline to cover for broken-down FFMVic vehicles?” Mr O’Brien said.
“The Allan Labor Government needs to provide assurance that they’re not robbing Peter to pay Paul. Victorians want to know their communities are properly equipped heading into what the Premier herself has declared a difficult fire season.”
Concerns about faulty FFMV trucks were first raised as far back as 2017, yet eight years later, multiple G-Wagon and Unimog firefighting vehicles have been withdrawn from service leaving CFA and SES units to help fill the gap.
Shadow Minister for Public Land Management, Melina Bath, said it was telling that Forest Fire Management Victoria is now funded through Labor’s new emergency services tax, yet its frontline equipment is in disrepair.
“The Minister says there’s nothing to see here but he can’t explain how our firefighters are well equipped when their vehicles are literally out of action,” Ms Bath said.
“Forest Fire Management Victoria is now funded out of the new emergency services tax and yet their equipment is failing.
“The Allan Labor Government takes more under its new $3 billion emergency services tax and delivers less and it’s our emergency services and Victorians who are paying the price.”
A Liberal and Nationals Government will not only scrap Labor’s emergency services tax, but will restore confidence in Victoria’s firefighting capability.
