‘Deeply concerned’: Vital fire service programs and jobs in firing line of state budget cuts

The United Firefighters Union Tasmania Branch has warned that budget cuts could leave the state’s fire service ill-prepared to battle a horror bushfire season.

Labor leader Dean Winter and United Firefighters Union of Australia Tasmania branch secretary Leigh Hills to discuss the impact that the government’s $35m DPFEM cuts will have on firefighting services. Picture: Stephanie Dalton

Emergency service jobs and vital bushfire management programs could be at risk as the state government scrambles to find $35m in Department of Police, Fire, and Emergency Management budget savings over the next four years.

The United Firefighters Union Tasmania Branch has warned that it is “deeply concerned” that the cuts will mean the state’s fire service could be ill-prepared to battle a horror bushfire season.

Under the proposed budget cuts, the Department is required to save $3.9m in 2024-25, $7.8m in 2025-26, and $11.7m in 2026-27 and 2027-28.

Labor leader Dean Winter discusses the impact that the government’s $35m DPFEM cuts will have on firefighting services. Picture: Stephanie Dalton

Labor leader Dean Winter said at least 70 state service positions would be cut in areas like radio dispatch, which handles calls to the triple-0 line, and jobs in information services, workshops, maintenance, forensic science, and prosecutions.

“The positions facing the axe under the Liberal-Lambie cuts are vital to our emergency services’ ability to keep Tasmanians safe,” he said.

“We know that mitigation is really important when it comes to firefighting.

“We need to make sure we’ve got the right resources in place to prevent bushfires in the first place, to mitigate against the impacts of those bushfires when they happen.”

UFU Tasmania branch secretary Leigh Hills said cutting these jobs would simply “necessitate the transfer of frontline resources into support roles”.

“We’re very disappointed with the government, we’ve had no discussion with them as to what exactly these cuts will mean,” he said.

“We don’t know if these cuts will affect fleet management and how this will affect our ability to fight fires.

“We need good support systems at the back end to make sure that we’ve got the resources we need at the front end.”

Minister for Police, Fire, and Emergency Management Felix Ellis did not deny the budget cuts but said the government was working to grow frontline services.

“We need to make sure that we’re spending Tasmania’s money wisely,” Mr Ellis said.

“Ultimately, we’re looking to grow frontline services, and we’re looking to be more efficient in terms of the way that we deliver backline

services.”