CFA chair Greg Smith quits as turmoil in fire services continues
In another sign of turmoil in Victoria’s fire services, the chair of the CFA board has resigned as the volunteer brigade continues to work through controversial reforms.
Victoria
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The chair of the CFA board has resigned, following the chief officer out the door while the volunteer brigade continues to work through controversial fire services reforms.
Greg Smith, who took over as chair at the height of the CFA crisis, had steered the board for four years.
The former Fair Work Commissioner was appointed by deputy premier James Merlino, who became emergency services minister in mid-2016 when Jane Garrett quit Cabinet rather than sign off a new workplace agreement pushed by the United Firefighters Union.
Mr Smith said he had taken time to reflect following the fire services reforms.
“With the implementation of fire services reform, I believe now is the time for a change in leadership of the CFA Board to enable a new Chair to drive the organisation forward,” he said in a statement.
“It has been an honour to have been the Chair during this time of transformation and I am proud that the Board has been able to deliver significant improvements in governance, financial management, integrity, occupational health and safety, complaints handling and child safety.
“I would like to extend my thanks to all CFA members for the work they do in protecting Victorians. We would not be the respected and trusted organisation we are without your selfless efforts.”
Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville thanked Mr Smith “for his work with the CFA over a number of years”.
“This is a move Greg has been considering for some time. When I first became Minister for Emergency Services he raised this with me and I asked him to stay until we implemented our Fire Services Reform. A request I am very glad he agreed to,” he said.
“We will have more to say about a Chair appointment in coming days.”
But Opposition emergency services spokesman Nick Wakeling said that under Daniel Andrews and Labor the “CFA has no leadership and no direction”.
“How many more people will be sacked or resign as a result of Daniel Andrews’ campaign to destroy the CFA?” he said.
Mr Wakeling said Mr Smith was “handpicked” by the premier and wouldn’t stay on to see through changes forced by “Labor’s dodgy deal that sells out our CFA volunteers”.
“Daniel Andrews has abandoned CFA volunteers and is hell-bent on delivering power to his mates in the UFU,” he said.
“The Liberal Nationals are committing to ensuring the CFA remains a strong and independent volunteer fire service.”
Late last month, chief officer Steve Warrington quit his position following tense negotiations with the government over how the CFA would be run once it became a volunteer-only agency.
Deputy chief officer Stephanie Rotarangi is also understood to be on leave.
A new agency called Fire Rescue Victoria was created by the government on July 1, taking in all paid firefighters from the former CFA and MFB.
Mr Warrington, who was a 40-year CFA veteran and had two years to run on his contract, was unwilling to sign off on new ministerial directives related to the changes.
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