Regional Job cuts: 208 bushfire and forest staff to be cut from DEECA

The Victorian Government will cut more than 200 forest and bushfire staff, across 99 regional work centres. This is what we know.

The Allan Government is proposing cutting back Victoria’s frontline forest and bushfire teams across 99 regional sites.

Victoria’s timber towns are set to be stripped of more jobs, as Premier Jacinta Allan prepares to cut 208 staff from her government’s Bushfire and Forest Services Group across 99 regional sites.

Orbost, Omeo, Heyfield, Bairnsdale, Yarram, Corryong and other towns have already been hit by Allan Government’s termination of native timber harvesting on January 1 this year, which forced many workers to find jobs elsewhere.

But documents obtained by The Weekly Times show the government is now preparing to cut back regional forest and firefighting jobs, peppering the losses across the state.

The staff consultation documents shows 118 of the 208 job cuts will come from the BFS Group’s forest fire operations staff, who are scattered across regional Victoria, especially in the state’s east.

All up the Bushfire and Forest Services Group’s staff numbers are to be cut from 1925 to 1717.

Victorian Government document showing 208 staff to be cut from its Bushfire and Forest Service Group, from the current 1925 to 1717.

Orbost forestry consultant Garry Squires said the town had already lost timber harvesting and mill jobs, as well as seven VicForests staff, who had taken redundancies.

“Any further cuts make it more difficult to deal with the inevitable fires,” Mr Squires said.

“Unfortunately it’s the frontline people who’ll go, while middle managers hold onto their jobs.”

Gippsland East Nationals MP Tim Bull said “on the cusp of summer, with fuel loads at record levels, the government is cutting fire operations staff”.

“We are going to burn again, so we need better resource not less. This is terrible news.”

The cuts appear to have been triggered by budgetary pressure resulting from DEECA absorbing the VicForests operations and forestry staff, plus taking on some of the former native timber harvest and haulage contractors and their heavy machinery.

The Community and Public Sector Union is in negotiations with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, with a spokesman stating it was doing all it could to protect regional jobs.

DEECA’s consultation document states “since the transfer of fire functions and people from Parks Victoria, BFS is now located at 99 regional work centres across regional Victoria.

“The government’s commitment to end native timber harvesting has changed our work programs.”

DEECA deputy secretary Kelly Crosthwaite said staff were being consulted about a proposed new model that would deliver “value for Victorians”.

Ms Crosthwaite said DEECA would maintain a strong regional presence and focus its skilled staff on a forest and fire management programs that delivered for local communities.