Purcell kills off fire Bill

Crossbencher’s rebuff

KEY crossbench MP James Purcell is set to vote down legislation to alter the Country Fire Authority, effectively bringing the 18-month-long saga to a close.

Mr Purcell, who represents Geelong in the Upper House, wanted more protections for the CFA, but said the State Government was not “prepared to go that far”.

His casting vote to oppose the Bill means the State Government’s push to make the CFA volunteer-only and merge paid firefighters with the Metropolitan Fire Bridge, creating a much bigger Fire Rescue Victoria, is now dead in the water.

“The Government was not willing to meet those conditions and I will not be supporting the Bill in its current form,” Mr Purcell said.

“This issue is too important to be pushed through without unanimous support. It’s up to the Government now to go back to the drawing board and create a better plan.”

The state Coalition, the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party and the Australian Conservatives are all opposed to the Bill in its current form, and Labor has managed to get only 20 votes in the 40-member Upper House.

Emergency Services Minister James Merlino vowed to continue to press ahead.

“I have met with Mr Purcell many times to provide him with an opportunity to negotiate and put forward ideas and he has chosen not to pursue this,” Mr Merlino said.

“We are continuing to negotiate with all crossbenchers and are willing to work with them to see any concerns addressed.”

Opposition emergency services spokesman Brad Battin said the CFA/MFB proposal should be put to voters at next year’s state election rather than any clandestine Upper House deal.

“Daniel Andrews must now take his plan to tear up the CFA to the election,” Mr Battin said.

He said it was clear that the community and CFA volunteers did not support such a radical fire service overhaul.

Mr Purcell formed his Vote 1 Local Jobs party three years ago. The Port Fairy-based accountant once served as Moyne Shire mayor and is the only crossbencher not aligned with either the left or right of the political spectrum.