THE Victorian Farmers Federation is sticking by its criticism of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and his decision to strike a deal with unions to deliver an extra 350 career firefighters to the Country Fire Authority.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The VFF slammed the decision before Saturday’s election and the organisation will continue to have the decision overturned, according its president Peter Tuohey.
“That’s 350 career firefighters the CFA doesn’t need, given it’s volunteers who deliver the surge capacity needed to fight major fires such as Black Saturday,” Mr Tuohey said.
“Mr Andrews’ commitment will lead to a budget blowout and higher fire service property levies.
“He claims the positions will be funded by government, not the CFA. But experience shows it will be the CFA that ends up wearing the costs of training and refurbishing stations to accommodate these career firefighters.
“Has anyone asked the CFA chief officer Euan Ferguson if he wants the extra career firefighters?”
The VFF said it understood Mr Ferguson had not been approached about the decision.
Mr Tuohey said the United Firefighters Union swung a similar deal prior to 2010, with the previous Brumby Labor government, that forced the CFA into employing an additional 342 career firefighters.
“We understands 100 of these (342) are yet to be deployed,” Mr Tuohey said.
“The last thing farmers want to see is the union retaking control of the CFA.”
Mr Tuohey also criticised Labor’s pre-election promise to “re-establish a CFA/Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Board of Reference to resolve staffing and station needs, examine options for the establishment of a Career Firefighters Registration Board and honour all agreements”.
“It’s this same Board of Reference which gave the United Firefighters Union the power to take control of CFA staffing under the former Brumby government,” he said.
