IN THEIR WORDS

At the height of Australia’s bush fire crisis last month, one exhausted firefighter’s emotion was raw. Paul Parker had been battling blazes around Nelligen, in southern New South Wales state. Seven homes had been lost in the village, and his own residence severely damaged, on the day his comments went viral. Here are some points about his rant and what the other side had to say. “Tell the prime minister to go and get f---ed, from Nelligen. We really enjoy doing this sh-t.” — Paul Parker, before he collapsed on the roadside, responding to Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s comments that the volunteer rural brigades enjoyed doing the work. Firefighters “want to be out there defending their communities” and (I do) not see a need to turn the state-based volunteer firefighting system into a professional service. — Scott Morrison, in December, about the country’s Rural Fire Service, which at 200,000 volunteers is the world’s largest volunteer force. “(I) received a message from my local brigade telling me I had lost my role because of my remarks, and to return my truck because the RFS was about to send the police to look for me.” — Paul Parker told media. “Parker had not been dismissed … but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been some conversations locally with his volunteer peers.” — RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said Monday. “Of course” the firefighter should not be dismissed — Morrison, adding that he was pleased this did not appear to be the case. “When you’re told they were going to call the police if you hadn’t brought the fire truck back, and that you’re being stood down for foul language — that doesn’t mean, ‘Come back tomorrow.’” — Parker, adding that he felt the RFS had tried to “backpedal” following publicity about the dispute. “Paul hasn’t been able to work, and therefore he has not generated an income, due to his volunteering work with the Rural Fire Service.” — a Gofundme page set up by Parker’s neighbours to collect donations to help him rebuild his fire-damaged home. “They broke my heart, they broke me as a person, they destroyed my will as a volunteer.” — Parker said of the RFS. He does not plan to return. But the episode has earned him a substantial bar tab at his local pub — over $500 at last count.