MALONE’S RURAL FIRE CLAIMS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO NATIONALS
Published Sunday, 15 February, 2009 at 03:01 PM
Minister for Emergency Services
The Honourable Neil Roberts
Today’s claim by Shadow Emergency Services spokesman Ted Malone that millions of dollars would be ‘snatched’ from rural fire brigades highlights beyond doubt that he is an embarrassment to the National Party, Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said.
Mr Roberts said the State’s Auditor-General had, in his report to State Parliament in 2008 (Sec 3.3 Brigade Funding and Resourcing), specifically endorsed a Queensland Rural Fire Service initiative to establish financial management groups across the state to enhance accountability and resourcing of brigades.
“In consultation with local brigades, councils and rural fire groups, the RFS has continued the roll-out of Local Area Finance Committees (LAFCs),” Mr Roberts said.
“Is Mr Malone telling the people of Queensland that future National Party governments would ignore the advice of the Auditor-General?
“It is a fact that LAFCs will provide areas with a way to ensure all brigades are adequately financed, improving the opportunities of each RFB and enabling them to provide the best possible service to their local community, while also enhancing accountability and governance.
“They would comprise representatives of local brigades, local councils and QFRS who will meet to set the Rural Fire Levy and distribute the funds to local brigades.
“LAFCs will cut bureaucracy, not add to it as Mr Malone states, and will reduce the administrative burden from volunteers and help them get back to what they do best, which is fighting bushfires.”
Mr Roberts said that most importantly all monies raised locally by volunteers would stay local. There was definitely no cash grab by the State Government.
“This concept has been successfully progressed within the Toowoomba and Warwick areas where in excess of 100 RFBs have benefitted under the model,” Mr Roberts said.
“I acknowledge there are some RFBs that have concerns about this model and QFRS and its Rural Operations division is working with these groups to address their concerns.”
Mr Roberts said it was an all too common occurrence for Mr Malone to misrepresent, overstate or simply gets things wrong on Emergency Service matters.
Some recent examples include:
• claiming Rural Fire Volunteers were leaving the Rural Fire Service in droves following an report detailing the results of a QFRS audit and cleansing of membership records; and
• claiming the location of a replacement station in Pullenvale would lead to an increase in response times in the area when, in fact, the QFRS believes the new station would be in an optimum location for improved service delivery.
“Mr Malone is simply out of his depth and for someone who has been Shadow Emergency Services spokesman on-and-off since July 1998 it’s just not good enough,” Mr Roberts said.
“Instead of dealing in half-truths or, worst still, getting the facts totally wrong, Mr Malone should be telling our emergency services personnel, including our rural fire brigades, just what his policies are.
“The Bligh Government will continue provide subsidies to rural fire brigades to purchase vehicles and build rural fire stations as well as providing funding for personal protective equipment at no cost to volunteers.”
Media contact: Scott Chandler on 0488 096 204
Mr Roberts said the State’s Auditor-General had, in his report to State Parliament in 2008 (Sec 3.3 Brigade Funding and Resourcing), specifically endorsed a Queensland Rural Fire Service initiative to establish financial management groups across the state to enhance accountability and resourcing of brigades.
“In consultation with local brigades, councils and rural fire groups, the RFS has continued the roll-out of Local Area Finance Committees (LAFCs),” Mr Roberts said.
“Is Mr Malone telling the people of Queensland that future National Party governments would ignore the advice of the Auditor-General?
“It is a fact that LAFCs will provide areas with a way to ensure all brigades are adequately financed, improving the opportunities of each RFB and enabling them to provide the best possible service to their local community, while also enhancing accountability and governance.
“They would comprise representatives of local brigades, local councils and QFRS who will meet to set the Rural Fire Levy and distribute the funds to local brigades.
“LAFCs will cut bureaucracy, not add to it as Mr Malone states, and will reduce the administrative burden from volunteers and help them get back to what they do best, which is fighting bushfires.”
Mr Roberts said that most importantly all monies raised locally by volunteers would stay local. There was definitely no cash grab by the State Government.
“This concept has been successfully progressed within the Toowoomba and Warwick areas where in excess of 100 RFBs have benefitted under the model,” Mr Roberts said.
“I acknowledge there are some RFBs that have concerns about this model and QFRS and its Rural Operations division is working with these groups to address their concerns.”
Mr Roberts said it was an all too common occurrence for Mr Malone to misrepresent, overstate or simply gets things wrong on Emergency Service matters.
Some recent examples include:
• claiming Rural Fire Volunteers were leaving the Rural Fire Service in droves following an report detailing the results of a QFRS audit and cleansing of membership records; and
• claiming the location of a replacement station in Pullenvale would lead to an increase in response times in the area when, in fact, the QFRS believes the new station would be in an optimum location for improved service delivery.
“Mr Malone is simply out of his depth and for someone who has been Shadow Emergency Services spokesman on-and-off since July 1998 it’s just not good enough,” Mr Roberts said.
“Instead of dealing in half-truths or, worst still, getting the facts totally wrong, Mr Malone should be telling our emergency services personnel, including our rural fire brigades, just what his policies are.
“The Bligh Government will continue provide subsidies to rural fire brigades to purchase vehicles and build rural fire stations as well as providing funding for personal protective equipment at no cost to volunteers.”
Media contact: Scott Chandler on 0488 096 204