News

Emergency Services | March 19, 2018

Hamilton CFA Airbase plays vital role in fire combat

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy MP has continued her three year call for the Andrew’s Labor Government to immediately fund Stage 2 of the Hamilton CFA-DELWP Airbase project as the current emergency fire event in south west Victoria continues.

Ms Kealy said that over 50 fire-bombing flights were deployed on Sunday, but many more could have been sent if Daniel Andrews had invested in the Hamilton CFA-DELWP Airbase to improve refill and refuel times.

Water-bombing aircraft being deployed from Hamilton were also grounded for over an hour on Sunday due to power outages and the lack of a backup generator.

Ms Kealy visited the Hamilton Airbase to thank water bombing pilots and the many CFA and community volunteers for their ongoing efforts in protecting local people and property during the current fire emergency.

“It is essential we support our CFA volunteers to help them do what they do best - protect our local people and property when there’s a fire. We simply would not have the manpower to have battled this weekend’s fires without our vital volunteers and I sincerely thank each and every one of them for their immense efforts,” Ms Kealy said.

Ms Kealy said the Hamilton CFA-DELWP Airbase plays a critical role in responding to emergency fire events in south west Victoria and has been actively lobbying the Andrews Labor Government to provide funding to complete the project for three years.

“I am extremely proud that The Nationals funded Stage 1 of the project when in Government,” Ms Kealy said.

“It has been incredibly disappointing that Labor have failed to see the value in providing the $650,000 necessary to complete Stage 2 and allow the facility to become an efficient, modern and strategically located fire-fighting asset for south-west Victoria.

“Daniel Andrews and his city centric Labor Government must stop putting local lives at risk and immediately fund this vital project to give our local emergency services and volunteers the infrastructure and equipment they need, and our communities the peace of mind that they are entitled to and deserve,” she said.