State MP prepared to postpone flight to vote against CFA restructure

A STATE MP says he is prepared to postpone an overseas trip to vote against the government’s controversial restructure of the CFA.

• Independent MP refuses to back CFA dismantle bid in shock move
• CFA chief officer says new fire service will cause big changes for volunteers

A STATE MP planning to vote against the government’s controversial restructure of the Country Fire Authority says he is prepared to postpone an overseas trip to do so.

Vote 1 Local Jobs MP James Purcell is booked on a flight to Britain on Thursday night, by which time state parliament was to have adjourned for the winter break.

But the government plans to extend the sitting week until Friday if debate on other matters drags on, leading to speculation that a vote on the CFA Bill might not occur before late Thursday or Friday.

Were Mr Purcell absent, the Andrews Government would need only 20 votes, rather than 21, in the Legislative Council to pass the Bill.

Mr Purcell told the Herald Sun: “If we’re sitting Friday, I’ll get a flight some other time.”

Vote 1 Local Jobs MP James Purcell says he is prepared to postpone an overseas trip to vote against the government’s controversial restructure of the Country Fire Authority.

VOLUNTEER FIREY FEARS HE’LL MISS OUT ON COMPO DUE TO ANDREWS GOVERNMENT CANCER LAWS

The Western Victoria MLC said he was taking a three-week trip to the UK to research universities and nuclear power, and take a holiday.

But he said: “After what I’ve been through with public meetings and everything else, there’s no way I will (miss the CFA vote).”

The government’s first priority in the Upper House this week is to pass a taxation Bill that effectively sets its budget.

The timing of the introduction of the Bill to create Fire Rescue Victoria, a new organisation for all paid CFA and Metropolitan Fire Brigade firefighters, has not been set.

Democratic Labor Party MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins looms as the MP most likely to make or break the Bill.

Greens and Sex Party MPs have signalled they will vote in favour of the Bill.

Meanwhile, concerns continue to be raised about clauses in draft MFB and CFA workplace agreements which the United Firefighters Union wants transferred to a new Fire Rescue Victoria agreement.

These include veto clauses — requiring fire chiefs to consult and obtain agreement from the UFU — for dealing with misconduct.

Democratic Labor Party MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins looms as the MP most likely to make or break the Bill. Picture: Tony Gough

Legal advice, seen by the Herald Sun, raises concerns that it would leave FRV chiefs effectively unable to discipline misbehaving employees without matters going before the Fair Work Commission.

They would also have to have at least two meetings with an employee to explore alternative steps to resolve a problem, even for serious misconduct, before acting.

The advice also says that sexual harassment, bullying, and the distribution of pornographic material on work computers might not fit the definition of “misconduct”.

There are also concerns that disciplinary measures are inconsistent with rules that govern the rest of the state’s public service.

[e-mail]