Fireys split on payouts

WHILE most would welcome a Federal Government payment, not all Darling Downs firefighters agreed with compensation offered by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

In the coming weeks, the Queensland and Australian Governments are expected to agree on a deal to pay volunteer firefighters up to $6000 if they spent more than 10 days in the field.

The Queensland Government

expects this money will be back-paid for any volunteer who served on a fire front in the 2019 season.

Volunteers must work for a small or medium-sized business or be self-employed.

Ravensbourne Rural Fire Brigade fire officer Peter Ralph spent 14 days fighting the Peachy fire and returns regularly to dampen flare ups.

He has more than 55 years’ experience as a volunteer and never expected to be compensated.

Mr Ralph said paying volunteers went against the core values of rural service, which started so neighbours could protect each other.

“I was self-employed, and I would have lost a small fortune,” he said.

“That was my choice.” He conceded compensation would ease the pressure on younger volunteers.

“About 70 per cent of our regular members work, and I heard some of their employers make them take holiday leave to fight fires.

“Some only have one week of leave for the next 12 months to spend with their families.”

However, he is concerned compensation will lead to more paperwork for a service he saw as bound by red tape.

“But I do not want to knock the scheme,” Mr Ralph said.

“The principle is good, it just needs some work.”

Hampton Rural Fire Brigade member Gary Potzwald rejected the idea.

He was worried compensation would bring freeloaders into the service.

“If you want to be paid to go to the fire line than you are doing it for the wrong reason,” Mr Potzwald said.

“The service started as neighbours helping neighbours, we brought our own gear. Now a lot of gear is supplied by the government, but it comes with a lot of expectation.”

Mr Potzwald worries compensation could lead to greater centralisation of the service and degrade its core values.

“Already there is a big push for rural units to be taken over by the urban units. How far will it go?”

Picture: QFES FRONT LINE: Rural firefighters keep an eye on scrub land as it burns at Pechey. The large fire took weeks to control and required volunteers to take a lot of time away from their paid jobs. Now the Australian and Queensland Governments are looking to compensate volunteers for their time.