New data showing a plunge in volunteer firefighters has prompted fears that Victoria will be inadequately resourced ahead of a dangerous bushfire season.
New figures show the number of operational firefighters has fallen from 38,335 to 28,934 since 2013-2014.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned a switch to El Niño would bring dry conditions that will increase fire risk and could lead to devastating outcomes. “After years of neglect and an organisational failure to have a systematic approach to ensuring training, mentoring and ensuring experience for such roles.”
CFA firefighter numbers have dropped by 10,000 since Daniel Andrews came into office. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin Angry firefighters blame the State Government for a decline in numbers, claiming a merger between MFB and the CFA to the new Fire Rescue Victoria led to the axing of senior volunteer roles.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘He loved Australians’: Albanese lays Bob Hawke’s ashes to rest in MelbourneThe private interment ceremony - also attended by Victorian premier Dan Andrews - was held on the 40th anniversary of the election of the Hawke government.
Read more »
‘Stock is so tight right now’: auction clearances push over 70pcThe negative press on interest rates is not getting through to some buyers, who pushed properties in Sydney and Melbourne well over their reserves on the weekend.
Read more »
Man discovers two highly venomous species battling in his shedKyle Andrews was tidying his shed in Adelaide's north when he came across what he thought was some electrical cable dangling from his car. On closer inspection, he realised it was a battle between two highly venomous species — a baby eastern brown snake and a redback spider.
Read more »
Working Australians turn to food banks and Salvation Army under ‘Albo’s leadership’Sky News host Paul Murray says the number of people looking towards food banks and the Salvation Army is increasing under the Labor government and “Albo’s leadership”. “The number of people who are effectively the working poor – that is getting worse under Albo’s leadership – Wesley Mission, Food Bank, and the Salvation Army have reported an increase in people from working households who are requiring assistance,” Mr Murray said.
Read more »
Labor ‘doesn’t know’ its own policy: Defence Minister gives vague response on super changesLabor’s 2025 plan to double super taxes for wealthy Australians is a policy “pulled out of some drawer” from a “treasury bureaucrat”, says Sky News host James Morrow. “Because they were taking so much heat about Jim Chalmers’ summer essay where he talked about reinventing capitalism,” Mr Morrow said. “Where he went to the superannuation industry and gave this whole speech about – hey, wouldn’t it be great if you guys could take some of your members’ money and put it in non-commercial things like climate transition stuff and affordable housing.” His comments follow Defence Minister Richard Marles’ vague response when questioned on the Today show about his knowledge of the government’s recently announced superannuation policy. “So, everybody was getting really freaked about this stuff so to quiet the debate they come up with this policy,” Mr Morrow said. “The fact that Richard Marles didn’t know what was the deal with this taxation, how they’d wind up taxing an asset that hasn’t been sold yet – that’s because nobody knows, Labor doesn’t know.”
Read more »
‘A thousand times worse than Bangladesh’: How international students are finding SydneyWhen future engineer Rafiul Hossain arrived in Sydney, he didn’t expect to have to share his bed with bugs. And he isn’t the only newcomer to our fair city with a story to tell.
Read more »