Bullies will not prosper

FOR all the political drama of the past week, news that volunteer “fireys” are considering quitting the CFA will send shockwaves through this state.

Poll after poll shows public support is firmly behind the CFA.

FOR all the political drama of the past week, news that volunteer “fireys” are considering quitting the CFA will send shockwaves through this state.

The 60,000 community-spirited men and women are our front line against fires every summer and the fact some are thinking of walking away is heartbreaking and truly alarming.

These CFA volunteers are not political activists — they are good people, who have given back to this state for decades.

But now, resigning from the CFA is a very real option and all because of Premier Daniel Andrews and his appalling decision to give control of the CFA to his mates at the United Firefighters Union.

This decision to give the UFU veto rights over CFA management has ignited a firestorm across Victoria, one that has engulfed the Andrews Government, and threatens to torch its leader.

Already the fight has claimed one innocent casualty, in respected Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett, who was forced to resign.

Already, it has claimed the board of the CFA, which has been sacked by the Andrews Government. Add to that the real chance of volunteers resigning and we have a government that is on a path to self destruction.

The actions of the Andrews Government are not those of a government that is governing for all this state. They are not the actions of a government with good judgment. They are the actions of a government and a Premier that seems hell-bent on getting what it wants, whatever the consequences. And they will pay a price at the next election.

The belligerent, bullying style of Mr Andrews in ramming through this agreement to appease his union mates will not be tolerated. Poll after poll shows public support is firmly behind the CFA on this one, and it’s unlikely to wane. Today’s Sunday Herald Sun online survey of more than 2500 readers found volunteer firefighters are our most trusted emergency service workers, ahead of paramedics and police officers. Professional firefighters rated last. Make no mistake, the have been damaged by this saga.

In this never-ending dispute, the extraordinary arrogance of the Andrews Government was on display, yet again yesterday. This time it was James Merlino, Mr Andrews’ deputy and Ms Garrett’s ministerial replacement, employing the steamroller rhetoric. Despite a Supreme Court injunction preventing the signing of any deal between the union and the CFA for at least another 11 days, Mr Merlino insisted the dispute had been “resolved”.

Spruiking a “fresh start”, he announced the establishment of a Country Fire Authority Performance and Policy Consultative Committee. Its focus would be on recruiting women and “improving culture and diversity”. The irony was lost on few.

These were key issues Ms Garrett had been trying to work through before she was overrun by the Premier — along with the unacceptable level of control the UFU is trying to exert on the CFA.

Meanwhile, 40km away at another press conference in Ascot Vale, Health Minister Jill Hennessy was stressing there was “no division whatsoever” within Cabinet, despite the obvious signs.

Last week’s embarrassing apology in Parliament by Industrial Relations Minister Natalie Hutchins, after she was caught “misquoting” Fair Work Commission president Iain Ross, is evidence of the building pressure. No matter what spin the Andrews Government tries to put on this fiasco, it is far from over.

The only course of action left is for the Andrews Government to walk away from this agreement.

We call on them to see sense and put the people of Victoria first — not their union mates, the UFU, but the people of Victoria they were elected to serve.