Victorian State Election: Labor pledges to boost firefighter numbers

Date
    November 18, 2014


Victoria would recruit 450 extra firefighters if Daniel Andrews is elected Premier, with greater protection for firefighters if they contract specific cancers also pledged.   

Speaking to a special meeting of the United Firefighters Union, Mr Andrews received a standing ovation when he committed Labor to $141 million to recruit 350 CFA and 100 extra MFB firefighters over the next four years.      

Premier Denis Napthine said his government had recruited an extra 200 over the past four years and asked how Labor would fund the extra recruits.


Labor would set up, within 18 months of winning, a scheme that would give firefighters automatic access to workers' compensation if they develop specific cancers. The Commonwealth introduced similar laws in 2011 and other states have followed suit.      

The Victorian scheme would be similar to one operating in Tasmania and be available to both paid and volunteer firefighters. The Greens attempted to introduce a scheme last year but was blocked by the Napthine government.

The Coalition says it will also introduce a scheme if it wins, but is waiting for a Monash University study on the issue to decide how it will work. International studies and a Senate inquiry have found a link between higher cancer rates and firefighting.

The Coalition rubbished the plan to recruit more firefighters saying it was an insult to the critical role CFA volunteers played and accusing the ALP of trying to get rid of volunteer from integrated brigades in favour of a "militant UFU."


The Coalition says Victoria has the best funded and resourced fire services in Australia.

Cancers set to be covered by Labor's scheme include brain, kidney, bladder and breast cancers as well as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, myeloma and leukaemia.

Mr Andrews said the scheme would be capped at $40 million over four years, but there would be no individual cap on claims.

Labor also pledged on Tuesday to reopen the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry if it wins office, saying it would investigate claims of a "spike" in local deaths in the aftermath of this year's coalmine fire.

The inquiry would also examine options for rehabilitation of the vast coalmine on the edge of Morwell.

"The Coalition completely botched the response to the mine fire, exposed firefighters to serious risk and abandoned the Morwell community when they were most in need," he said.

Under a wider plan for the Latrobe Valley,  Mr Andrews said Labor would also allocate $10 million to develop the Gippsland Logistics Precinct in Morwell, increase the number of full-time firefighters at Morwell and Traralgon CFA stations, boost technology and training so firefighters could better fight coalmine fires, invest a further $3 million in a Morwell emergency services hub, and $12 million for a "Morwell Schools Regeneration Project."

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victoria-state-election-2014/victorian-state-election-labor-pledges-to-boost-firefighter-numbers-20141118-11otk5.html#ixzz3JXZvkgGZ

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What will he do with the East Link project?

Mark Latham says Labor will keep it -  (heard it on the radio)

Garfield. wrote on Nov 20^th, 2014 at 9:09am:



So you'd prefer one firie with a watering can then.

Garfield. wrote on Nov 20^th, 2014 at 9:21am:



I agree.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Nov 20^th, 2014 at 9:31am:


Err that would be a yes. 

Vic wrote on Nov 20^th, 2014 at 9:36am:


Labor had six years to stop the boats that they restarted, and failed. Morrison stopped them inside 3 months. Labor had six years to change what they say is Costello's negative legacy, but did nothing. You're such a hypocrite! 

But I guess all these promised new firefighters will have to belong to a union.

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Another inquiry is a waste of time because equivalent schemes are already in place in other states.