Electoral commission may probe CFA volunteer and professional firefighter ‘dirty tricks’

BITTER tensions between volunteer and professional firefighters could be subject to an electoral commission probe amid allegations of voting booth “dirty tricks”.

• Daniel Andrews’ CFA union backing damaging Labor’s campaign

BITTER tensions between volunteer and professional firefighters could be subject to an electoral commission probe amid allegations of “dirty tricks” across Victoria’s voting booths.

Unionised firefighters have been accused of attempting to “hoodwink” voters by suggesting they represent the Country Fire Authority.

Victorian Liberal Party director Simon Frost has written to the Australian Electoral Commission expressing concern for “deliberate and concerted” effort from the United Firefighters Union and the Labor Party to “mislead or deceive” voters.

It comes as union boss Peter Marshall issued a call to arms to his members to help “neutralise” CFA volunteer firefighters who have also pledged to protest the new agreement at polling booths on July 2.

Footage, seen by the Herald Sun, shows a UFU representative pushing material in support of Labor’s new workplace agreement for CFA firefighters — which was opposed by the CFA board and a majority of its 60,000 volunteers.

Thousands of CFA volunteers are expect to take part in a silent protest on polling days by showing up to vote in their uniforms.

United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall. Picture: Tim Carrafa

UFU members have been stationed on polling booths in the marginal seat of Corangamite this week, campaigning on behalf of Labor candidate Libby Coker.

It was unclear whether the firefighters were on duty at the time, but they arrived on a firetruck which was parked close by.

There has also been tensions on pre-polling stations in the eastern suburban electorate of LaTrobe, with a CFA captain involved in a verbal stoush with UFU members campaigning against the Federal Government.

UFU national secretary Peter Marshall accused the Liberals of “exploiting” volunteer firefighters and dividing Victorian communities by courting the support of the CFA.

He said the UFU had repeatedly asked for a Liberal Party authorised online petition to be removed because he claimed it was collecting data and raising funds under the guise of supporting the CFA.

Mr Frost’s letter asked electoral commissioner Tom Rogers investigate whether the UFU was in breach of the electoral act and where their election material at polling stations was misleading voters.

“The fact is Labor’s enterprise bargaining agreement gives the firefighters union 50 separate veto powers over CGA management, including over decisions affecting volunteers,” Mr Frost’s letter said.

“The Victorian Government’s own legal advice says the EBA breaches both the Victoria CFA Act and the Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Act.”