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Emergency Services | April 27, 2023

Gazette Fire Brigade 4WD tanker must be included in May budget

The upcoming Victorian Budget indicates that the Andrews Labor Government will attempt to hack and slash their way out of the fiscal hole they have dug, however, the safety of the Gazette community and its brigade volunteers cannot be compromised.

Member for Lowan and Deputy Leader of the Nationals Emma Kealy is concerned that a much-needed replacement of the Gazette Fire Brigade tanker will be left out.

The Gazette Brigade’s current tanker is a 32-year-old 2WD single cab with no foam and is not fit for purpose. It is critical that this tanker be upgraded to a 4WD medium dual cab so that members and volunteers can safely navigate the boggy and rocky terrain in the area.

“Five years ago following the devastating St Patrick’s Day fires, the Gazette brigade was promised a new tanker to better handle both the rocky and boggy country, however Labor has failed to deliver on its commitment”, Ms Kealy said.

The recent bushfire season has highlighted the vital role that our local CFA brigades play in protecting our communities from the devastating impact of bushfires. These volunteer firefighters are often the first line of defence in bushfire emergencies, putting their own lives on the line to protect their communities.

However, many of our local CFA brigades are struggling to maintain their equipment and infrastructure due to a lack of funding.

"I am calling on the Victorian Government to recognise the important role that our volunteer firefighters play in protecting our communities and to provide them with the support they need."

Ms Kealy said that whilst the Andrews Labor Government has a record of mismanaging the CFA, they still need to ensure it is funded properly.

“The Government cannot continue to pull funding from regional projects and organisations in order to fix the blowouts from their Big Build in Melbourne.

“The Gazette Fire Brigade deserve their fair share of state funding and to be supported in their generous volunteer work to protect the community from fire”, Ms Kealy said.