State Opposition is encouraging 14,000 CFS volunteers to unite and take their fight on rises in the Emergency Services Levy to Adelaide.
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Last week Opposition emergency services spokesperson Duncan McFetridge and Member for MacKillop Mitch Williams met in Lucindale with the South East brigades – Keilira, Avenue, Woolumbool and new addition Lochaber – who have given notice of their boycott of fighting fires on government land.
The SE brigades have joined seven Eyre Peninsula brigades and Echunga in the Adelaide Hills in the stand.
The Liberals were concerned this could put communities at risk, but the frustrated brigades said it was their only option to protest rises of up to 1000 per cent.
Dr McFetridge and Mr Williams said a more effective alternative was to “get political” through a petition, bombarding politicians with emails, engaging with city-based media, and, if necessary, a public demonstration on the steps of Parliament House.
Mr Williams said CFS volunteers must get voters in marginal electorates such as Mawson, Elder, Ashford, Light, Newland and Morialta raising concerns about the ESL.
“ You have to get your relatives and friends in Adelaide to email them (politicians). I guarantee it will have a bigger effect than saying I am not going to take a fire truck into a piece of government land. The whole Mount Scott Conservation Park could burn and no-one in Adelaide would care,” he said.
Dr McFetridge said the state government did not value its volunteers, many of whom were “close to breaking point”.
“They haven’t made the threats that they have made because they want to put their communities in danger. They are exasperated at the lack of understanding and empathy of the government,” he said. “There is no way that SA can face the Pinery and Sampson Flats of this world without CFS volunteers.” He promised if elected in 2018, a Liberal government would reinstate ESL remissions.
In a statement, Emergency Services Minister Tony Piccolo said the government valued the contribution of emergency service volunteers and had recently seen how important their role is during emergencies.
He also respected their democratic right to protest and choose when they dedicate their time.
“This state government will ensure our emergency services volunteers have the resources and equipment they need to protect their communities,” he said.
“It is unfortunate that at the beginning of the bushfire season when the focus should be on preparing and protecting communities, Mr Marshall and the Liberal Party’s focus has instead been on trying to play politics.”
