Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt says the Newman Government needs to guarantee ahead of tonight’s Atherton meeting of the Ministerial Review into the Rural Fire Service that the review will not lead to further slashing of funding for rural firies.
Mr Pitt said the Newman Government should have originally engaged with rural firies and local communities before initially announcing the cuts to the rural fire service in September.
“The patch-up job now being undertaken is just further evidence of the way the LNP leadership group has never stopped to think before cutting jobs or slashing services,” he said.
“If this arrogant LNP Government consulted the community before the initial slashing and burning of rural fire services was announced we would not be in a situation now where they are frantically scrambling to update the community on their planned cuts.
“This is yet another example of an out of touch Government in crisis, which has stopped listening, has no one in-charge and has no proper decision making process.
“The Newman Government should have originally opened its doors to every rural fire officer across the state and told them the truth about the LNP’s slash-and-burn plans for the service.
“But, instead of engaging with concerned members of the community, the Premier and the others in the LNP leadership group such as the Deputy Premier and the Treasurer pulled down the shutters on protesters including volunteer firies at a Community Cabinet in Cairns in September.
“For the Assistant Emergency Services Minister Ted Malone to come to town now and attempt to engage with rural firies, typifies the chaotic nature of this Government who has no-one leading it.
“It’s time for this LNP government to show some leadership on this issue and tell these vital frontline workers how much of their funding and workforce they intend to slash,” he said.
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