CFA volunteers continue to be let down by the Victorian Government according to Ovens Valley MP Tim McCurdy.
The Ovens Valley’s CFA volunteers are being let down by the Victorian Government according to local MP Tim McCurdy who said stations in Yarrawonga and Myrtleford continued to face ongoing infrastructure concerns and a lack of meaningful investment.
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Mr McCurdy raised the issue in Parliament last week, calling on the government to properly support the volunteers who put their lives on the line to protect regional communities.
Yarrawonga Fire Station is not fit for purpose, and CFA inspectors have said it is not suitable for refurbishment.
A new fire station in Yarrawonga has been CFA District 22’s top priority for many years and the second highest station replacement priority for the entire CFA northeast fire district, which extends from Chirnside Park through Seymour, Shepparton, Wangaratta and Wodonga regions.
Yarrawonga Fire Station is not fit for purpose and long-neglected for crucial upgrades.
Earlier this year, Yarrawonga CFA Captain, Lawrence Phillips told Yarrawonga Chronicle that volunteers were using outdated vehicles as the station was too small for new vehicles to fit into.
“The town is not able to be serviced by reliable machinery,” Capt. Phillips said.
“There are no showers so we’re taking contaminated clothing home into our homes and families - that’s a major thing, a brigade like ours should have showers.”
Member for Northern Victoria, Wendy Lovell first raised the matter in Parliament in 2020 when the government said it was “aware of the needs of the Yarrawonga Fire Brigade”.
Yet in April this year, Yarrawonga was again left off the list of priorities when the Victorian Government announced $148 million over 10 years for the CFA’s fleet, fire stations and critical equipment.
Mr McCurdy said the Ovens Valley should not have to keep fighting for basic investment in the people who protect the community.
“Our CFA volunteers are the first people we rely on when fire strikes, yet too many of our stations and facilities are being allowed to fall into disrepair,” he said.
“Volunteers deserve safe, modern facilities that allow them to do their jobs properly and return home safely to their families.
“Instead, regional volunteers are being asked to do more with less while Labor piles more pressure onto families and businesses through its new emergency services tax.”
