Pride of Australia: Fiskville widow Diane Potter keeps up fight to uncover truth

A BRAVE woman has continued the fight to uncover the truth about the Country Fire Authority’s systematic failure to protect volunteers’ health.

DI Potter, the widow of Fiskville whistle blower Brian Potter, has been nominated for a Pride of Australia award. Di Potter gave evidence to a parliamentary inquiry last month where she revealed the heartache she felt after losing her husband and the anger at the CFA who did nothing to warn fire fighters of the dangers. Di is pictured with two of her grandchildren, Noah, 6, and Mia, 12. Picture: Mark Stewart

A BRAVE woman has continued the fight to uncover the truth about the Country Fire Authority’s systematic failure to protect volunteers’ health.

Diane Potter has taken up the torch for the cause championed by her late husband Brian, who lifted the lid on the Fiskville scandal.

Mrs Potter stood by Brian in life when he battled criticism and ill health to reveal how firefighters were exposed to cancer causing chemicals at the CFA’s main training college.

Mrs Potter, who held her nerve to make an emotional hour long interview to the parliamentary inquiry into the scandal, said she must carry on the battle.

Di Potter gave evidence to a parliamentary inquiry last month where she revealed the heartache she felt after losing her husband. Picture: Mark Stewart

“I just want someone from the CFA to take some responsibility and get some respect for people who have lost loved ones,” she said.

Mrs Potter said her husband’s dying wish was to see new laws that provided compensation to firefighters who had contracted cancer as a result of their jobs.

The State Government has considered presumptive legislation, which would allow firefighters automatic compensation if they had contracted common cancers linked to firefighting.

The laws are already in operation in the ACT.

At least 16 deaths have been linked to the Fiskville site, where paint thinners and unknown chemicals were burnt as training fuel to save money on petrol in the 1970s and 1980s.

Former CFA Chief Officer Brian Potter.

The training college was permanently closed in March after dangerous chemicals were found in water tanks, which were being fed by mains water.

More than three years after the Herald Sun broke the story, Mrs Potter has still been providing support and advice to other families who believe they became sick because of their time at Fiskville.

The telephone at her Langwarrin home continues to ring.

When Mr Potter was alive it was calls from men that he served with at the CFA, fighting fires and protecting the state.

Now, all to often, the calls are from widows, concerned about the health of themselves and their children.

A parliamentary inquiry into Fiskville will deliver a final report later this year.

Mrs Potter is the latest nominee for the Pride of Australia awards.

@steveheraldsun