News

Emergency Services | November 19, 2018

The Liberal Nationals will always support the CFA

The Liberal Nationals will always support the CFA.

The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy said an elected Liberal Nationals government will fund a $67 million Emergency Services and Public Safety package to ensure the CFA and SES have the facilities and equipment needed to keep Victorians safe.

“Daniel Andrews and Labor have run a concerted campaign against our CFA volunteers culminating in their attempt to break up the CFA,” Ms Kealy said.

“In contrast, the Liberal Nationals support the CFA and its 60,000 volunteers and will invest in CFA station upgrades and rebuilds and in new equipment and technology across Victoria.

“This will help our emergency services keep Victoria safe all year round, but in particular during the fire season.”

The $67 million package will provide Victoria’s emergency services with:

• $51.3 million in new, rebuilt, or upgraded CFA stations across the state;
• 100 thermal imaging cameras to allow for the rapid location of people trapped in structure fires, identify hot spots in bushfires and in search and rescue operations;
• Broadcast Alert Response software that assists with incident response and the management of emergency services personnel;
• Funding to the VFVB to fulfil its advocacy role and expand its services including funding the return of FireWise magazine which was cut by the Andrews Labor Government;
• Deliver 10 ‘Rapid Response Vehicles’ Mercedez-Benz Sprinter Vans (or similar) equipped with Coldcut Cobra® fire extinguishing infrastructure giving fire fighters another tool for efficient rapid response in urbanised areas; and
• Roll-out rapid Emergency Medical Response to CFA volunteer brigades to areas Ambulance Victoria has identified as suitable to improve response times and early defibrillation

The package builds on the Liberals Nationals commitment to protect the CFA by enshrining the rights of volunteers in legislation, launching a Royal Commission into Victoria fire services and introducing Presumptive Rights Legislation Bill for all firefighters into Parliament in the first sitting week of 2019.

“The Liberal Nationals will stand by the CFA, hand back control to our volunteers and invest in infrastructure and equipment to ensure emergency services can do the very best job at keeping Victorians safe,” Ms Kealy said.

“Daniel Andrews has been at war with the CFA for four years. We will end the war and hand back control to the CFA.

“We will always protect those who protect us.”