MFB restructure: Democratic Labour Party MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins concerned about fire services bill

PREMIER Daniel Andrews’s plan to dismantle the CFA will stall for at least seven weeks while the State Parliament’s upper house considers new laws.

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PREMIER Daniel Andrews’s plan to dismantle the CFA will stall for at least seven weeks while the State Parliament’s upper house considers new laws.

After failing to get the numbers it needs to secure safe passage of its bill this week, the government has agreed to opposition and independent MP requests to send it to a committee for further examination

The committee will be made up of three government MPs, three opposition MPs, a Greens MP, and a crossbench MP.

The embarrassing blow for the premier means comes more than a year after he intervened in a festering dispute over a union-friendly CFA EBA and declared that he had “ended it”.

The government had hoped the laws would be passed this week, in order to set up a new body called Fire Rescue Victoria for all paid firefighters and make the CFA a volunteer organisation.

A spokesman for Emergency Services Minister James Merlino said tonight that “this is a strong Bill and we are willing to support the establishment of a select committee tomorrow to give the cross bench more time to consider this legislation.”

The move to split Victoria’s fire services has been delayed. Picture: AAP Image/Joe Castro

“It is common practice for Bills before the parliament to be sent to a committee for further consideration,” he said.

Yesterday, the Victorian MP likely to decide the fate of the Andrews Government’s controversial restructure of the fire services has revealed she is “very concerned” about the Bill.

Democratic Labour Party MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins said the Bill needed to go to a select committee where “both sides” of the debate could be heard.

Dr Carling-Jenkins looms as the kingmaker over the proposed laws, which have passed the lower house but yet to get through the upper house.

“I am very concerned about it. I really think it needs to go to a select committee, both sides need to be heard,” she said walking into state parliament this morning.

“There is so much angst within both the MFB and within the CFA.”

Dr Carling-Jenkins said she had discussed amendments with the government but believed those should also undergo committee scrutiny.

She said a lack of consultation had damaged the bill and said a parliamentary panel would be able to ensure the legislation was not just “spin” and would benefit Victorians.

DLP upper house MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins wants the fire services bill to go to a committee for further scrutiny. Picture: Tony Gough

If the bill passes, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade will be abolished and all of its staff, along with paid staff from the Country Fire Authority, transferred to a new agency called Fire Rescue Victoria.

The new agency would also take over the 35 integrated CFA stations.

Industrial Relations Minister Natalie Hutchins didn’t rule out a “further look” at the bill but said she didn’t think “there is a lot in this to debate”.

“It’s about getting on with the job. A fire ready crew with both the CFA and the UFU, the CFA and the MFB, and all of the parties going forward for the fire season,” she said.

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Asked about Fire Rescue Victoria’s EBA Ms Hutchins said work was being done.

“Negotiations are underway and are being looked at, as a basis of that is the prior CFA agreement that was struck last year, so there is negotiations going on,” she said.

“They are still working through it with the parties, it is quite a substantial document and obviously with the legislative changes before the parliament now and the restructure, that needs to be taken into consideration as well but certainly work is underway currently.

Treasurer Tim Pallas said the government was hopeful of the bill passing the upper house, but wouldn’t say how it would get the numbers.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: AAP/ Rob Blakers.

“I’m not in the business of identifying individuals or their positions, I think that’s up to them to declare their hand,” Mr Pallas said this morning.

“The government’s been pretty clear that this has got to come to an end at some point, we’ve had eight reviews of the fire services in the last 10 years saying that we need to reform the service.

“We’ve been having positive discussions with the crossbench, and we’re hopeful that the legislation will pass.”

The government is also hoping to pass a taxation Bill that effectively sets its budget, which includes stamp duty concessions for first home buyers and payroll tax relief for businesses in regional Victoria.

Mr Pallas said there would be a number of amendments moved by the government as a result of negotiations with the Greens around the “centralised valuation issues” on a new land tax.

“Just to make it a little bit clearer how we will deal with those matters,” Mr Pallas said.

“This will make regional Victoria the lowest payroll taxing jurisdiction in the nation by a country mile.

“(The stamp duty concession for first home buyers) will mean there will be substantial savings for people purchasing their first homes.

“We’ve been having some productive discussions with the crossbench and I’m hopeful it will pass. I’ve got to say I’m concerned about the language we’ve heard from the Liberal Party in the context of concerns they have about certain elements.”

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