Fire Rescue Victoria records $170m deficit and worse response times
The latest Fire Rescue Victoria annual report has exposed the organisation’s dire financial situation while also failing to improve on response times.
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Victoria’s embattled fire service has posted a $170m deficit while also recording worsening response times.
Firefighters fell short of their target to get to structure fires within 7 minutes and 42 seconds, instead only getting to 83.7 per cent of calls on time, according to Fire Rescue Victoria’s annual report.
The figures are worse than the year prior, where fireys met their benchmark on 88 per cent of callouts.
The service also posted a $170m deficit in 2022-23, up from the $132m deficit the previous year.
Fire Rescue Victoria’s total expenses at the same time increased by almost $69m in the past year, with the final bill coming in at a mammoth $1.13bn.
Employee costs also rose by more than $45.5m — to now cost almost $888m.
The report revealed that Fire Rescue Victoria was still unaware whether stolen data from a major cyber attack in 2022 had been released on the dark web.
“The attack was executed by a malicious third party with sophisticated techniques and caused a breach of our cyber security defences and potentially exposed sensitive information,” the report stated.
“FRV has subsequently been made aware that a person or persons may have stolen information from FRV and may have uploaded information stolen from FRV on the Dark Web.
“We remain unsure whether the malicious third-party is in possession of stolen data.”
Opposition emergency services spokesman Richard Riordan said taxpayers were paying for the government’s mismanagement. “Victoria needs a sustainable fire services agency that delivers for local communities, but it is increasingly clear that Labor’s financial mismanagement is impacting the performance of this critical frontline emergency service,” he said.
This comes amid a protracted pay dispute between the government and the militant United Firefighters Union, which has rejected the offer of a whopping 12 per cent pay increase over four years and thousands of dollars in cash bonuses under a new wage deal.
Instead it is fighting for a 25 per cent rise over three years, as well as an additional $117m in bonuses before agreeing to sign on to a new wage deal.
Under the proposal firefighters would share in $117m of identified savings or efficiencies achieved in relation to the creation of FRV, the state’s new fire service, in 2020.
The dispute has now reached the Fair Work Commission which has been told that negotiations have broken down to a point that sees no reasonable prospect of the parties reaching an agreement.
Under the government’s proposed wage deal firefighters would have been offered an upfront payment of about $7000, a 12 per cent pay increase over four years, and further annual cash bonuses of about $2000 per firefighter.
A government spokeswoman said FRV were reviewing ways to manage their costs.
“Our fire services agencies have continued to perform strongly and Victorians should be in no doubt that they are well protected,” she said.
“We make no apologies for ensuring all Victorians are safe and have access to some of the best firefighters in the world who are fairly compensated for their 24/7 service.
“We will work with fire services to ensure continued high quality service delivery that keeps our communities safe.”
Fire Rescue Victoria employed 3813 firefighters and full-time operational staff in 2022/23 — a decrease of 51 people on the year prior.
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