Country Victorians are paying significantly a higher fire services levy this year, but the Country Fire Authority (CFA) Budget has been slashed by $4 million.
Local MP, Tim Bull, said it was just another case of those living in the bush getting short-changed by a city-centric State Government.
“Across the board we have a 23 per cent increase ($186 million) in the fire service levy tax (more for some individuals), which is struck to specifically finance our fire services,” Mr Bull said.
“How do you have such a massive increase, but our local volunteers have their budgets cut?
“The reason is, the funds are being spent on the Labor aligned United Fire Fighters Union at our expense.
“We are not getting our fair share of this increase.
“This comes at a time when the forecast is for hotter and drier conditions, the government has not done the amount of fuel reduction burning required, and has cut Forest Fire Management front line jobs in towns like Orbost, Swifts Creek, Nowa Nowa and Heyfield.
“This puts more onus back on the volunteers in need of station and equipment upgrades, that cannot be delivered on a reduced budget.
“Labor is asking more of the CFA but supporting them less.”
Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) has raised concerns that around 700 of their trucks are still single cab, and whilst crew protection is available on these, realistically the chance of survival for crew on the deck in an entrapment is close to zero.
They are seeking for the vehicles to be replaced with more survivable crew cabs.
“All this on the back of the government having not completed anywhere near enough fuel reduction burning and cutting its own Fire Forest Management jobs from towns like Swift’s Creek, Orbost, Heyfield and Nowa Nowa,” Mr Bull said.
