ZOE ASKEW
By ZOE ASKEW
GIPPSLAND Water has terminated long-term contracts with 20 local CFA stations without warning, blindsiding volunteer brigades across the region. CFA volunteers have been servicing fire extinguishers, hose reels, and fire blankets for a nominal fee across multiple Gippsland Water sites, including the Moondarra Reservoir. Without warning, Gippsland Water recently revoked the contracts, which had been in place for 17 years, effective July 28, 2023, leaving the volunteer brigades without a vital revenue stream to buy new equipment. CFA volunteer brigades affected include Sale, Heyfield, Maffra, Briagolong, Newborough, Churchill, Darnum/Ellinbank, Drouin, Neerim South, Moe, Morwell, Erica and District, Traralgon, Traralgon West, Warragul, Willow Grove, Yallourn North, Toongabbie and Trafalgar. The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath, said Gippsland’s CFA brigades were blindsided by Gippsland Water’s decision to cancel their service contracts. “Volunteers brigades only learned about it via a letter which stated an audit had been conducted, and the water authority was cancelling its arrangement,” Ms Bath said. “Gippsland Water’s decision is shortsighted and counterproductive – it eliminates a vital revenue source from a volunteer service that protects life and property in times of emergencies. “Without the CFA’s surge in workforce capacity and equipment, Gippsland Water’s assets and our community would be in a highly vulnerable position in a bushfire event. “Volunteer CFA brigades are in a financial battle to survive – funding has been cut in the state budget, and now government agencies are removing their income source. “The funding generated through these service contracts enables CFA volunteers’ to keep turning out to floods, fires, vehicle crashes and lost bush users.” The Gippsland Water CFA contract cancellation comes after Melbourne Water made the same decision 12 months ago before backflipping when Ms Bath called the matter out in state parliament. Ms Bath accused the Labor Party of having a track history of cancelling contracts from local organisations in regional communities, which she said flies in the face of its own ‘Local Jobs First’ procurement policy. “Gippsland Water is showing complete disregard for our local volunteer emergency services by cancelling contracts with little or no communication or a right of reply,” Ms Bath said. “Centralising government contracts is a cost-saving exercise that lacks social licence – it does not pass the pub test. “First it was CFA uniform laundering, then it was Ambulance Victoria uniform laundering, and now it’s the servicing of portable fire equipment for state government water authorities.” Ms Bath said she would raise the matter in state parliament, advocating for affected CFA volunteer brigades and requesting that Gippsland Water reverse its decision. “The Minister for Water must speak with Gippsland Water and ensure the contracts are redirected back to our local CFA brigades as a matter of priority,” she said. CFA has confirmed its working with Gippsland Water to understand future contract arrangements. “CFA is working with Gippsland Water to understand the future arrangements in regard to fire and equipment maintenance contracts,” a CFA spokesperson said. Gippsland Water also confirmed the two organisations’ ongoing collaboration. “Gippsland Water and the CFA are working together to address findings from a recent audit of firefighting equipment located at Gippsland Water sites,” a Gippsland Water spokesperson said. “The CFA has been engaged for many years to service and maintain our firefighting equipment, and we look forward to working with them to close out any outstanding audit issues.”
