CFA chief quits top job ahead of merger with MFB
Victoria’s CFA chief has quit the top job after a 40-year career following tense negotiations with the State Government days ahead of a merger with the MFB to create a new fire service.
VIC News
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Victoria’s CFA chief has resigned from the top job just days ahead of a controversial reform of the state’s firefighting services.
From next week the CFA’s career staff will be merged with the MFB to form a new service — Fire Rescue Victoria.
Chief officer Steve Warrington resigned today ending a 40-year career with the respected organisation following tense negotiations with the State Government ahead of the merger.
Angry volunteer firefighters said this week they had been betrayed by the State Government and sidelined in the organisation they are supposed to run.
The Herald Sun understands Mr Warrington’s resignation followed tense negotiations on Tuesday.
Deputy chief officer Stephanie Rotarangi is also understood to have taken leave.
Sources have told the Herald Sun the pair refused to sign off on a ministerial direction regarding the fire service change.
“They have been fighting for weeks, and they felt what they were being asked to do was unfair,” one source close to the discussions said.
“The government is setting the CFA up to fail,” they said.
Mr Warrington was officially appointed to the top job in 2017 after acting in the role for eight months.
He was appointed for five years following a unanimous recommendation was made to the CFA Board.
Mr Warrington, served with the CFA for almost 40 years, was selected for the job following a thorough national search.
The Herald Sun this week revealed a bitter dispute was tipped to boil over amid concerns by the state’s 54,000 volunteer firefighters.
They say the government has reneged on a series of promises ahead of the July 1 start date for Fire Rescue Victoria.
They say the move will leave the CFA’s unpaid volunteers exposed to union interference and turn the organisation into a “second class service”.
A major point of anger is a proposal that FRV officers seconded to the CFA will wear FRV uniforms instead of CFA livery.
The 229 FRV officers seconded to the CFA will also run the CFA’s operations, despite a promise the organisation would be restored to a fully volunteer service.
CFA board chair Greg Smith paid tribute to Mr Warrington’s “dedicated service to the CFA and Victorian community.”
“He has served the organisation and the people of Victoria with passion, skill and warmth,” Mr Smith said.
“On behalf of the board, we thank Steve for his decorated service to the people of Victoria and wish him all the best for the future.”
Mr Smith said an interim CEO would be announced shortly.
Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville thanked Mr Warrington for his service.
“While I’m incredibly sad to see Steve leave the CFA, I respect his decision to take time for himself and his family,” she said.
“Steve should be immensely proud of his contribution to Victoria and the CFA.
“On behalf of the Victorian government, I thank Steve for his leadership and resilience, particularly during the devasting Summer bushfires earlier this year, and wish him well for the future.”
Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria chief Adam Barnett said volunteers would be saddened and angry.
He said Mr Warrington had “resigned rather than be forced to sign agreements and contracts that would destroy the CFA and rob it of its future”.
“Steve saw what thousands of CFA volunteers have seen and have been raising their concerns about,” Mr Barnett said.
“These reforms are not good for the CFA and they are not good for Victoria, and no minister or government can try and tell us otherwise.
“How many more people have to be sacked or forced out over this dirty, rotten deal, before someone is held to account for this mess?
“CFA volunteers will mourn yet another chief, like all those before him, all forced out for standing up for what they believe in.”
Mr Warrington started his career at Chelsea Fire Brigade in 1978 as a volunteer.
He completed the CFA recruit course in 1983 and then served 14 years as both a staff member and volunteer with his final volunteer years spent at Langwarrin.
He served at major incidents including Arthurs Seat Chairlift collapse and Black Saturday bushfires.
In 2017 he was awarded the Australian Fire Services Medal.
Shadow Minister Emergency Services Nick Wakeling said the resignation was a sign of constant chaos and dysfunction in Victoria’s fire services.
”Under Daniel Andrews’ leadership a Minister, the CFA board and CEOs have been sacked risking the safety of Victorian public,” Mr Wakeling said.
“This latest resignation adds to the decades of firefighting experience already lost because Daniel Andrews is more interested in playing political games than keeping Victorians safe.”
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