CFS volunteers now able to speak under privilege as inquiry bid passes Upper House

Volunteer firefighters said they were ‘gagged’ from talking about their issues. Now they can speak without the fear of repercussions.

Volunteer firefighters will now be able to express their concerns about the state’s Country Fire Service under parliamentary privilege after a bid for an inquiry into disciplinary procedures and other issues passed the Upper House.

Members of the CFS will now be given the opportunity to express concerns they have with the organisation without the fear of repercussions as the inquiry merges with an existing parliamentary committee.

It comes as the Liberal Party last year aimed to introduce a Select Committee into the CFS, with a focus on examining the processes and timeliness of investigations into disciplinary matters.

In October last year, The Advertiser revealed CFS volunteers were being suspended for months without allegations, and felt they were gagged when they wanted to speak publicly about the issues they face.

Since then, the opposition has been calling for a Select Committee into the CFS’ disciplinary procedures, as well as other issues including facility management and supply shortages.

Volunteer firefighters will now be able to express their concerns about the state’s Country Fire Service under parliamentary privilege after a bid for an inquiry into disciplinary procedures and other issues passed the Upper House. Picture: Morgan Sette

Volunteers welcomed the proposed committee, but it struggled to gain cross bench support last year, prompting the Opposition to refer the inquiry to the existing Parliamentary Committee on Occupation Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation.

Opposition spokesman for emergency services Adrian Pederick said he was proud to deliver on the Liberal Party’s commitment to give CFS volunteers and staff a safe space to speak freely about their concerns without a fear of repercussions.

“We know there are serious issues within the CFS that are being kept quiet,” he said.

“In the months since announcing we would be moving to establish this inquiry, I was contacted by multiple people thanking the Liberal Party for raising the matter.”

Liberal MP Adrian Pederick has supported the proposed Committee. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

CFS volunteers, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Advertiser they were relieved knowing there was now an opportunity to safely express concerns and “expose corruption”.

“This inquiry will hopefully expose the corruption within the CFS and shed light on exactly who is involved and to what extent,” one volunteer said.

“It can only benefit the volunteers and make the organisation better. I hope that now there is parliamentary privilege, volunteers will speak up, because without the volunteers, the CFS is nothing.”

Opposition spokesman for regional South Australia Ben Hood said the committee was vital for understanding all facets of the CFS and how it can be improved.

“Our CFS volunteers are the ones who put their lives at risk each time they are called out to an incident,” Mr Hood said.

“They deserve to be provided with the support and amenities they need to protect our communities, but most of all they deserve to be listened to.

Mr Hood said he had heard from many involved with the CFS who “are terrified of speaking up” and feel that when they do, they are “punished”.

“It is my true hope that this inquiry will enable genuine, proper and thorough investigation into the issues CFS volunteers have raised over the past few months.”