Official figures have further
confirmed that the Tasmania Fire Service is at breaking point, and the
Government still hasn’t detailed how they will fix it or explained how
Tasmanians in a cost of living crisis won’t be unfairly impacted.
The Australian
Government Productivity Commission’s latest Report on Government Services shows that the time it took to
respond to structure fires in Tasmania for 2021-22 was
the second highest in the nation at
19.6 minutes (national average is 15.26), up from
16.8 minutes the previous year.
Tasmanian firefighters continue to
face a number of resourcing challenges which are placing their lives, and those
they work to protect, at risk.
Firefighters are being forced to work
in unsafe conditions, and their equipment isn’t fit for purpose.
The attrition rate for career
firefighters has increased and the Government has shown no appetite to increase
intakes.
The Productivity Commission Report
also shows that Tasmania has the highest percentage of user charges for fire
service revenue in the nation.
11.8 per cent of
funds for fire services in Tasmania are collected through user
charges, compared to the national average
of just 3.7 per cent.
The Government has said they
will increase
the fire levy, but still hasn’t released the details or explained how Tasmanians in a
cost of living crisis won’t be unfairly impacted.
Labor will properly fund our fire and other emergency services as a priority, rather than forking out $460 million of taxpayers funds for a stadium we don’t need.
Michelle O’Byrne MP
Shadow Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management
