Media Releases

Member for Rodney, Paul Weller has announced emergency services grants to support local volunteer emergency groups across the region.

Mr Weller said the grants, totally $12 million across the state, would assist volunteer emergency groups in the Electorate to apply for funds to assist with the purchase of equipment, vehicles and appliances and with facility upgrades. 

“It is important our volunteer groups such as the SES and CFA are supported through grants like these so they can continue to do what they do best – protecting lives and property throughout our region,” Mr Weller said.

“Our emergency services in the Rodney Electorate have dealt with a number of significant emergencies in recent years with floods and storms and in each of these emergencies our volunteers have played a crucial role,” he said. 

The funds have been made available through the 2012/13 Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) and under the program emergency service volunteer groups can access grants of up to $100,000.

The grants can potentially cover the cost of operational equipment, vehicles and appliances and minor facility improvements with VESEP committed to contributing $2 for every $1 of funding up to $100,000. 

Applicants for the grants must meet a range of criteria and will be assessed by a panel comprising of representatives from government and respective emergency service organisations.

“Our volunteers are the backbone of emergency services and the Coalition Government wants to ensure they are better equipped to respond safely and effectively to any emergency,” Mr Weller said. 

“Volunteers give selfless service and are dedicated to helping keep our communities safe and equipment grants such as these are a great example of the way the community, government and emergency service agencies can work together to ensure safety for all,” he said.

For more information about applying for the grants go to www.justice.vic.gov.au or email vesep@justice.vic.gov.au. 

The community of Tennyson today officially welcomed its new $383,000 fire station equipped with all the essential features required to improve community safety.

Representing Deputy Premier and Minister for Police and Emergency Services Peter Ryan, Member for Rodney, Paul Weller said the new station replaced an out-dated shed and was a major boost for the historic brigade.

“For the residents of Tennyson and surrounds, this new station represents an investment in community safety,” Mr Weller said.

“This new building provides members with a more enjoyable and modern place from which to work, and includes a training and meeting space, which is an important focal point where the community can congregate.

“I am confident that the new station, which boasts 45 members of which 26 are operational, will cater for the brigade’s future needs for many years to come.”

Mr Weller said the 81-year-old brigade attended a range of incidents annually and provided invaluable support to surrounding brigades in the Northern Campaspe Group.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Police and Emergency Services Peter Ryan said CFA members – both volunteers and full-time staff – were leaders in Victorian communities and dedicated to protecting lives and property.

“Local volunteer agencies such as the Tennyson Fire Brigade are the backbone of Victoria’s emergency service response,” Mr Ryan said.

“CFA is one of the world’s largest volunteer-based emergency service organisations, with more than 60,000 members, including 58,000 volunteers.

“CFA gains its strength from the commitment, selflessness, professionalism, bravery and tenacity of its volunteers.”

My Ryan said the State Government was investing $65.8 million towards 60 new or upgraded CFA stations and rolling out 101 new firefighting vehicles this financial year alone as part of an overall commitment to build and upgrade 250 CFA stations across Victoria by November 2014.

Member for Rodney, Paul Weller has opened a new $383,000 CFA fire station at Torrumbarry.

 

“Torrumbarry CFA’s 34 dedicated members will now be better equipped to deal with the threat of fire,” Mr Weller said.

 

“Replacing a small out-dated shed, the new fire station has improved training and meeting facilities, a well-equipped kitchen, large meeting room, office, storage rooms and toilet facilities and importantly, an expansion to cater for a second fire fighting vehicle,” he said.

 

Mr Weller said that Torrumbarry attracted many tourists, especially during the summer water skiing months and the annual Southern 80 boat race in February, and that the town would now be better prepared in the event on an emergency.

 

“The brigade’s main focus is bush and grass fire, motor vehicle accidents and supporting other brigades so this new facility will boost service capacity and provide a modern base for members to work,” he said.

 

The former fire station was built in 1975 and modified 20 years later to accommodate a 4-wheel drive fire fighting vehicle and later extended to fit a toilet and a meeting room.

 

Mr Weller said CFA members – both volunteer and full-time staff – were leaders in Victorian communities and were dedicated to protecting lives and property.

 

“Local volunteer agencies such as Torrumbarry CFA are the backbone of Victoria’s emergency service response,” he said.

 

The Victorian Coalition Government is investing $65.8 million towards new or upgraded CFA stations and is rolling out 101 new fire fighting vehicles this financial year as part of an overall commitment to build and upgrade 250 CFA stations across Victoria by November 2014.

 

Member for Rodney, Paul Weller spoke compassionately in parliament last week about the sombre anniversary of the Black Saturday Bushfires.

Mr Weller paid tribute to those who lost their lives and livelihoods in Australia’s worst fire disaster and asked those present to remember the CFA volunteers who risked their lives on this tragic day and continue to do so, especially during the fire season. 

“In our Rodney Electorate we were fortunate to avoid any major effects of this extreme bush-fire day, with the Redesdale fire the only one affecting us, blazing at the southern end of our electorate," Mr Weller said.

“On this third anniversary of the devastating fires it is timely to acknowledge and thank our CFA volunteers who were on constant stand-by on Black Saturday to assist in controlling these terrifying fires,” he said.

Mr Weller said the volunteers in every CFA group within our electorate are all members of our community and give up their precious time to protect both the people and properties of our towns and rural areas.

“All CFA volunteers are at-the-ready every day of the year to come to our aid in the event of a fire and regularly sacrifice important tasks in their homes, businesses or on their farms to ‘drop everything’ and come to our aid in the event of a fire,” he said.

CFA volunteers come from many walks of life in our community, including self-employed business people, mothers at home, students and retirees and all have a common goal – to serve the community in the event of a fire.

“We are thankful so far this bushfire season to not have had the extreme weather conditions of previous years and can feel secure in the fact that our many CFA volunteers are ready to fight fires and protect lives and properties at a minutes notice,” Mr Weller said.

Mr Weller said the anniversary is a timely opportunity to thank our CFA volunteers and to acknowledge that if a situation arose they wouldn’t hesitate to lend a hand to other volunteer fire fighters across Victoria, or indeed Australia - and for this, we should be thankful.

Rochester VICSES Unit today received a welcome boost to its emergency service response with a new $286,000 heavy-rescue truck.

Member for Rodney Paul Weller MP said the new vehicle would provide the unit with the valuable support it needed to continue to protect life and property, all year around.

“Rochester is a dedicated unit with a team comprising 17 volunteer members who go above and beyond the call of duty to support their local community,” Mr Weller said.

He said the new vehicle replaced the brigade’s rescue truck which was damaged during the January floods.
“During the floods, the unit received about 400 calls for assistance and became the divisional command centre and headquarters for CFA and the Victoria Police, providing emergency assistance in evacuation, sandbagging and communication support.
“With 85 per cent of Rochester underwater, there is no doubt that this was an extremely challenging period for residents and for all our emergency services.”

Mr Weller said it was vital that brigades such as Rochester had the best equipment possible to continue their essential work in the community.
“Local agencies are the backbone of Victoria’s emergency services and the State Government recognises the important role emergency services volunteers play,” he said.

“I applaud Rochester VICSES Unit and its members for their continued dedication and commitment, particularly during challenging times.”
Police and Emergency Services Minister Peter Ryan said VICSES had 5,500 dedicated volunteers who between them delivered more than 135,000 volunteer hours across Victoria last year.
“The State Government will continue to support the selfless and important role of our volunteers in responding to all emergences whether it’s fires, heatwaves, floods, storms or people in trouble in or on the water,” Mr Ryan said.

The Heavy Rescue Truck has been funded through the government’s critical assets program and is a commitment to ensuring volunteers are best equipped to respond to emergencies.

Volunteer Emergency Services across the Rodney electorate will be better able to equip their volunteers with resources thanks to Victorian Coalition Government funding, Member for Rodney Paul Weller said today.

Mr Weller said Mia Mia and Girgarre CFA and Echuca and Heathcote SES were among more than 190 volunteer emergency services units across Victoria to receive funding under the $11.6m Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP).

Mia Mia CFA will receive a light tanker, Girgarre CFA will receive a field command vehicle, Echuca SES will receive funding for building extensions and Heathcote SES has been allocated funding for training purposes.

“Volunteer emergency services play a crucial role right across this electorate in the face of difficult and quite often extreme circumstances,” he said.

“It is vital that these organisations be equipped with the necessary tools to carry out the important work they are required to do.”

Mr Weller said every CFA brigade across Victoria would also receive a $1500 equipment grant and every brigade group would be allocated $5000 for equipment specifically suited to their needs.

“These grants can be used for a whole range of purposes including training aids, station items, small items and operational equipment,” he said.

Mr Weller said volunteers in the CFA and SES gave up their time and energy to respond to emergencies and were selfless in their efforts to protect lives and property.

“This is a great example of the way the community, government and emergency services agencies can work together to ensure that we are best placed to respond to emergencies.”

The Nationals Member for Rodney Paul Weller has encouraged residents to make a submission on the new fire services funding model for Victoria.

A community consultation paper for the design and implementation of a fairer, more equitable system to fund fire services was released last week.

Mr Weller said the consultation was the first step in introducing a significant and long-overdue reform to ensure Victoria’s fire services were appropriately funded.

He said the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission recommended that ‘the State replace the Fire Services Levy with a property-based levy and introduce concessions for low-income earners’.

“The Coalition Government has adopted all Bushfires Royal Commission recommendations and will introduce a new levy that ensures all Victorian property owners pay a fair contribution to the state’s fire services, while ensuring Victoria’s fire services continue to operate with sufficient resources.

“I encourage people to read the consultation paper and make a submission to inform the final design and implementation for the new FSL.”

Mr Weller said the Fire Services Levy (FSL) should have been scrapped by the former Labor Government years ago.

“Until just prior to the election, Labor refused to listen to the concerns of Victorians call =ing for the FSL to be abandoned.

“All Victorians understand the need to have well-funded fire fighting services and the release of this consultation paper is an important step in implementing this new approach.”

Mr Weller said the consultation paper outlines out the Coalition Government’s proposal to replace the current funding model with a new property-based fire services levy.

“The Government intends to introduce legislation in early 2012,” he said.

“There will be a transition period that will commence on July 1, 2012 to allow insurers to phase out the FSL prior to full implantation from July 1, 2013.”

The consultation paper is available at www.dtf.vic.gov.au and submissions close on September 30.

Yearly Ambulance Victoria membership fees will be slashed in half from July 1, Member for Rodney Paul Weller said today.

Mr Weller said the Victorian Coalition Government had delivered on its pledge to make ambulance membership more affordable for all Victorians.

“From July 1, ambulance membership costs will drop from $150 to $75 a year for families and $75 to $37.50 a year for singles – that is just 20 cents a day for families and 10 cents a day for singles,” he said.

“This is similar to prices for ambulance membership fees in 1993 when membership cost $70 for families and $35 for singles.”

Around two million Victorians are members of the Ambulance Membership Subscription Scheme.

Mr Weller said in the event of an emergency, Ambulance Victoria members do not have to pay transport costs which can exceed $900.

“To treat and transport patients in emergencies is an expensive exercise,” he said.

“After 11 years of rising cost of living pressures under Labor, the Coalition Government is taking action to reduce these pressures on families in the Rodney electorate.

“Victoria’s paramedics are some of the best trained and most experienced paramedics in Australia.

“With 100 per cent cover, and 50 per cent off, there is now simply no reason to risk being caught without Ambulance Victoria membership.”

Mr Weller said the cut in membership fee will encourage even more Victorians to join, ensuring people can access ambulance services whenever required without concern for cost.

“We know Victorian families are experiencing rising living costs and deserve cheaper access to our vital ambulance services,” he said.

“That is why the Government delivered $241.9 million over four years to halve the cost of Ambulance Victoria membership.”

Mr Weller said the Government was also delivering on its $151 million commitment to employ 340 additional ambulance staff over the next five years, increasing paramedic numbers beyond 3000 for the first time in Victorian history.

The Undera community will benefit from an upgrade to its Country Fire Authority (CFA) station as part of the Victorian Coalition Government’s significant investment in the CFA in the 2011-2012 State Budget.

 

Member for Rodney Paul Weller said the Undera station was one of 60 in Victoria which would be rebuilt or upgraded as part of the Coalition Government’s $65.8 million package to fast-track CFA station and equipment upgrades. 

 

“This is great news for Undera. The government’s budget announcement actually surpasses our election commitment by pledging to build 250 new or upgraded stations, including six co-located with the Victorian State Emergency Service (VICSES) facilities, over the next four years,” Mr Weller said.

 

“The funding will also go towards the roll-out of 101 new fire-fighting vehicles state-wide including 74 light tankers, 20 heavy tankers and seven other specialist appliances.” 

 

Mr Weller said the $65.8 million investment would provide a massive boost to CFA infrastructure and resources and CFA volunteers around the state could look forward to further support during the next four years. 

 

“CFA volunteers work tirelessly to protect their communities and the Coalition Government’s budget announcement reflects this,” he said.

 

“I know the volunteers at Undera will be thrilled with the upgraded station.  I can’t speak highly enough of the remarkable and selfless job they do in protecting their community from fire and the risk of fire and I am delighted to see that effort rewarded.”

 

Mr Weller said new and upgraded CFA stations and all equipment purchases were made in accordance with the CFA's asset replacement program to ensure equity among brigades, to meet service delivery requirements and provide value for money. 

 

“The Coalition Government has pledged to offer a new level of support and commitment to the CFA and its volunteers, and funding to upgrade and build new stations and provide additional equipment demonstrates we are delivering on that promise,” he said.

 

“The CFA is an integral part of rural and regional communities like Undera and the Coalition Government will continue to respect and acknowledge the hard work CFA volunteers contribute.”

The Victorian Minister for Police and Emergency Services Peter Ryan will visit Echuca later this month to be briefed on a proposal to establish an emergency services precinct in the town.

 

Nationals Member for Rodney Paul Weller extended the invitation to Minister Ryan during a speech in State Parliament today.

 

Mr Ryan has confirmed he will make time in his diary to travel to Echuca on Thursday April 14 to meet with Echuca SES and other local emergency service units to discuss the plan.

 

“The proposal sets out an exciting strategy to accommodate the SES, Ambulance Victoria, Echuca Search and Rescue and the CFA on the one site at Echuca South Recreation Reserve,” Mr Weller said.

 

“As a first step, the project would see the SES relocate to the precinct, however the master plan has been developed to show how all emergency service units could eventually be accommodated at the site and how it is possible to achieve a layout where facilities are shared to help reduce costs to all organisations in the long-term.”

 

Mr Weller said the meeting would provide a great chance to impress upon the Minister the need for funding to enable the project to proceed.

 

He said the project would cost $290,000 and would lay the foundation for a state-of-the-art emergency services precinct at Echuca.

 

“Echuca SES has committed $37,500 of its own funds to the project, Campaspe Shire has agreed to contribute $70,000 and $82,500 has been secured from the State Government’s Community Safety Emergency Support Program

 

“That leaves a gap of $100,000 which is necessary to enable this project to commence.

 

“I will be seeking that the Minister gives serious consideration to committing funding to this exciting project to enable it to proceed as soon as possible.

 

Mr Weller told Parliament that emergency services in the seat of Rodney and right across Victoria had suffered serious under-funding during 11 years of Labor neglect and he looked forward to working with Minister Ryan to ensure their interest and needs were protected in the future.