CFA gets radio and truck funding in Victorian State Budget but more needed

The 2021-22 Victorian State Budget makes a major investment in new digital radios and trucks.

The CFA has gained $22m for tanker replacement in 2021-22, but are still driving the oldest firefighting fleet in Australia. Picture: Jason Edwards

CFA volunteers have gained a much needed $22-million boost to upgrading their ageing tankers.

Today’s Victorian Budget outlined an extra $12.75m on top of the $9.688m already committed to upgrading the CFA truck fleet in 2021-22.

But the allocation is a one-off commitment that still falls well short of the $29m a year that is needed replace 120 tankers a year over the next 10 to 13 years to ensure none of them is more than 20 years old.

Early last year the The Weekly Times reported then CFA chief officer Steve Warrington had called on the Government for an extra $200 million over the next decade to upgrade the CFA tankers, but still no long-term commitment has been made.

As it stands many brigades are operating trucks that 25 to 30 or more years old.

The Budget also allocated another $138.8m over seven years to replace the CFA’s radio equipment with modern digital technology, to ensure it can communicate with Fire Rescue Victoria and Forest Fire Management Victoria brigades.

Local CFA brigades will also benefit from the replacement of the Irymple, Serpentine and Metcalfe stations.

The Doreen station will also be refurbished, while Edithvale station gains new equipment.