CFA volunteers across Lowan will benefit from a major investment in new fire trucks, upgraded stations and volunteer recruitment under a Liberal and Nationals Government, as part of a comprehensive plan to better protect regional communities from bushfires. The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy said the $200 million statewide commitment would deliver 335 new…
The hard-working volunteers of the Henty Rural Fire Brigade will finally get the station upgrade they have been waiting years for if the Liberals and Nationals are elected to government. The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy met with brigade members to announce a commitment to build a new station, something the brigade has been…
Victorians opening their council rates notices this week are seeing the cost of Labor’s massive new emergency services tax grab. The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy said Labor had dramatically expanded its Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund tax beyond funding frontline fire services, using it to fund government agencies and services that have traditionally…
The Victorian Labor Government should not force Horsham Rural City Council to choose between bushfire recovery and its fair share of funding for other important community infrastructure. The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy has backed Horsham Rural City Mayor Brian Klowss in calling for the government to ensure funding provided to rebuild community assets…
The Carroll Labor Government must urgently explain communication failures that hampered emergency responses during the past summer’s devastating bushfires and guarantee the issues are fixed before the upcoming fire season. New reports have revealed critical digital mapping and communication systems failed firefighters during a bushfire that impacted Streatham, Carranballac and Skipton in January, raising serious…
A Parliamentary inquiry into Victoria’s 2025-26 bushfire season has confirmed years of Labor neglect left the CFA under-resourced and put regional communities at risk. The report, tabled in state parliament this week, found Labor mismanagement led to a decline in CFA volunteers, inadequate fuel management, and major delays in bushfire recovery efforts during one of…
Bushfire-affected communities have extra time to share their concerns and experiences through a Parliamentary inquiry, with the submission deadline extended to April 19. The inquiry, which The Nationals secured, will look at bushfire causes, their impact on communities, business and the environment – including native wildlife – and the resourcing and funding of emergency services…
On Monday, our region was rocked by the news of an alleged murder, followed by a siege in the Horsham CBD. Police and emergency services also responded to multiple vehicle incidents on our dangerous roads – a harrowing task for even the most experienced emergency service workers and volunteers. For many of us, the work…
The Nationals have secured a Parliamentary inquiry to give communities across the state a chance to share their concerns and experiences with Victoria’s bushfire preparedness, planning and response. The inquiry will consider bushfire causes, their impact on communities, businesses and the environment – including native wildlife – and the resourcing and funding of emergency services agencies.…
Late last year I attended the 150-year celebration of Horsham fire brigade. Horsham town hall was filled with volunteer firefighters and emergency services workers, acknowledging the many disasters that they had attended over the past century and a half. Little did I know that less than two months later it would be the same assembly…
