Federal Labor candidates face huge backlash in marginal Victorian seats after CFA sellout by Andrews Government

UPDATE: VOLUNTEER firefighters in the state’s north east are planning to leave the CFA and reform as an independent fire service, as Federal Labor candidates face a backlash in marginal seats.

Federal Labor candidates face a huge backlash in Victorian marginal seats with Country Fire Authority volunteers seething over their sellout by the Andrews Government. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

VOLUNTEER firefighters in the state’s north east are planning to leave the CFA and reform as an independent fire service, as Federal Labor candidates face a backlash in marginal seats.

Firefighters in Molyullah, south of Wangaratta, have voted to explore options of leaving the CFA and reforming as an independent Bush Fire Brigade.

The members will meet with shadow emergency services minister Brad Battin at midday.

It comes as Federal Labor candidates face a huge backlash in Victorian marginal seats with Country Fire Authority volunteers seething over their sellout by the Andrews Government.

CFA volunteers will highlight their “anger and frustration” in seats where they have high numbers, such as Corangamite, McEwen, La Trobe, Dunkley, Isaacs and Holt.

Groups representing volunteer firefighters across Australia will also  raise the issue in seats interstate.

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria spokesman Garth Head — a lobbyist and prominent Labor Right member — said the VFBV was non-party political and there was no organised campaign against any candidates.

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CFA volunteers are angry and frustrated at how things have played out.

“But our members are voicing their concern and pursuing these matters in their local communities,” he said.

“Our members are not political apparatchiks or anything like that, but they’re striking out at members of that party that forms the government and is steering this. Our members are certainly not impressed by the (ALP) brand at the moment because of the actions of the Andrews government.”

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Robert Cooke, a 55-year CFA ­veteran in Meredith, warned of a groundswell of volunteers prepared to take the fight to the election.

“I’ve spoken to a bloke from Ballarat, from Mildura. We’re working out what we’re going to do,” he said.

“We’ll be having some rallies and putting pressure on the Labor Party, then we’re going to put pressure on the federal candidates. I don’t think (Premier Daniel Andrews) realises the anger in the community ... we’re furious. Absolutely furious.”

CFA voluneets intend to “put pressure on the Labor Party”. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Wye River CFA volunteers said they back former minister Jane Garrett. Picture: Norm Oorloff

Mr Andrews on Friday sacked the CFA board and forced Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett to ­resign as he rammed through an EBA-pay deal which critics believe will allow the United Firefighters Union to take over the authority and undermine its diversity.

It is believed he was warned about the dispute’s potential spillover into the federal election campaign in a phone call from Opposition Leader Bill Shorten before Anzac Day.

Mr Andrews then controversially intervened in the matter by negotiating the EBA directly with UFU secretary Peter Marshall.

Mr Head said there was no co-ordinated plan to aim at Mr Shorten while he campaigned in Victoria, but “we know that some of our members are acting spontaneously”.

New Emergency Services Minister James Merlino is under pressure. Picture: Alex Coppel

Turnbull has vowed if re-elected he will block to deal. Picture: Peter Ristevski

“The reality is that the political party connected with the State Government, that is the Labor Party — a lot of local people are copping it,” he said. “In many cases, our people, out of sheer anger and frustration, are flying off the handle.”

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has vowed that, if re-elected on July 2, he will block the CFA deal by amending the Fair Work Act.

The government has legal advice that it could scupper the deal because of its “adverse impact on volunteer organisations’’.

Campaigning in Queensland yesterday, Mr Shorten said there was “more that can be done” to resolve the dispute and he urged CFA volunteers not to resign over the issue.

“What matters to the volunteers, what matters to me and to career firefighters is the safety of Victoria,” he said.

Labor frontbencher and Ballarat MP Catherine King, who has served as a volunteer firefighter, said she could understand “how upset” the community was over what was a “difficult issue’’.

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