The Andrews Labor Government has been caught out trying to expand Fire Rescue Victoria boundaries before an independent panel has been formed.
FRV boundaries were enshrined in law in 2019, with a requirement that future changes would be determined by an independent Fire District Review Panel in consultation with the CFA and local communities.
Under the cover of COVID-19, the Government is now ignoring the need for a panel and moving to widen FRV’s boundaries in Lara, Latrobe West (Moe) and Lucas through the Police and Emergency Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 in State Parliament.
If the Government wants to change fire boundaries, the least it can do is follow the process set out in their own controversial 2019 fire services legislation.
This is a sneaky land grab and another broken promise to CFA volunteers by Daniel Andrews.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Emergency Services, Nick Wakeling:
“Labor promised CFA volunteers they would be consulted on future changes to fire boundaries and that decisions would be independent of Government.
“These sneaky changes will be seen as just another attempt by Labor to push out and marginalise our hard-working CFA volunteers.
“The Liberal Nationals remember the sacrifices that CFA volunteers make, we won’t turn our backs on them.”
