MFB, CFA falling short of Andrews Government’s plan to have 400 female firefighters by 2021

A SIX-month recruitment campaign to triple the number of women in Victoria’s fire services has resulted in just 10 signing up.

ONLY 10 women have become firefighters in the six months since the Andrews Government launched a massive ­recruitment campaign to triple the number of women in Victoria’s fire services.

Senior fire services figures believe the government’s pledge to increase female firefighter numbers to 400 by 2021 will be almost impossible to achieve, with just 138 women now in frontline roles with the MFB and the CFA.

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Emergency Services Minister James Merlino has admitted fire services had suffered from a “boys’ club” culture, with startling allegations of sexual harassment and bullying believed to have contributed to difficulties hiring women.

The United Firefighters Union has also stymied efforts, and is fighting in the Fair Work Commission this week to push through a government-backed workplace agreement for MFB firefighters that all but bans part-time work.

Emergency Services Minister James Merlino admits fire services have suffered from a “boys’ club” culture. Picture: Andrew Tauber

Lawyers for the federal government and Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission argued yesterday the deal discriminated against women, carers and people with family responsibilities.

The MFB has hired just four female recruits since a government advertising blitz was laun­ched in February to imp­rove gender diversity, taking its total to 74.

The brigade will fall short of this year’s goal of 5 per cent of firefighters being women, being mired at just 3.5 per cent.

The State Government wanted to increase the number of female firefighters to 400 by 2021.

The CFA has only hired six females this year, making it 64 out of 1358 career firefighters statewide — just 4.7 per cent.

A government spokesman said the target of 400 female firefighters by 2021 was “amb­itious” but “we are serious about meeting the target”.

“We have asked the agencies to carefully analyse barriers to entry, the impact of the recent recruitment advertising campaign and what supports they can provide to encourage more women to apply and succeed,” he said.

CFA deputy chief officer Stephanie Rotarangi.

CFA deputy chief officer Stephanie Rotarangi said the authority was determined to increase its number of wom­en.

An MFB spokeswoman said more women were “seeing firefighting as an appealing career path”, with another three in the running to become recruits next February.

“We believe our fire and rescue services should reflect the diverse communities they serve,” she said.

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