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Emergency Services Volunteers | July 18, 2016

Kealy thanks community for supporting CFA petition

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy MP has thanked the community for their support of the Country Fire Authority (CFA), which has just two days before a freeze on the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) vote expires.

The electorate has shown overwhelming support for volunteers, with thousands signing Ms Kealy’s petition to the Premier to keep his hands off the CFA.

“I have gathered almost 3,000 signatures over the last two months, and I continue to encourage anyone who supports the CFA to sign my petition. A display at the Horsham Plaza has been pivotal in collecting more than half of these signatures,” Ms Kealy said.

Ms Kealy has been proud to stand side by side with local volunteers and will table her petitions in Parliament next month.

“The Premier must remember that CFA stands for Country Fire Authority - there is no way country volunteers want to be run by a Melbourne-based union,” Ms Kealy said.

“Union control of the CFA would destroy this great volunteer organisation as we know it.

“I thank all our local CFA volunteers who have battled dangerous blazes, attended car accidents, house fires and tragic scenes involving people they love and for sacrificing time with their businesses, family and friends in order to protect our people and property.

“I have met with local brigades and many CFA volunteers who have all expressed grave concerns and are angered by the Premier’s intentions to compromise their very existence.

"No one is against a pay rise for paid staff, but volunteers simply will not accept Daniel Andrews' plan to hand control of the CFA to the union.

“I urge the Premier to stop using CFA volunteers as pawns to retain union support at the next State election. Daniel Andrews’ actions speak louder than words and our volunteers deserve much better,” she said.

The Supreme Court has endorsed an undertaking from the CFA to ensure the process to approve the EBA cannot begin until at least 20 July 2016 and the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed a process to assist CFA volunteers.

“I urge anyone who supports the invaluable work of the CFA to sign a petition through my website  www.emmakealy.com or phone my office on 5382 0097 and a hardcopy can be posted out,” Ms Kealy said.