Victoria’s top firefighters earning $40m more than NSW bosses per year

Victoria’s top brass firefighters are earning hefty wages but regions could be footing the bill for the handsome pay cheques.

Fire Rescue Commissioner Ken Block has said in comments leaked to the Herald Sun that the organisation was far below a world best service. Picture: Sarah Matray

Victoria’s top brass firefighters are being paid $40 million more every year than their NSW counterparts, sparking concern among rank and file members.

Fire Rescue Victoria whistleblowers have hit out at a top heavy management structure they say is potentially sucking vital funds out of regional communities.

An analysis of the FRV management structure has revealed officers in the top four most senior positions are being paid in excess of $54 million every year.

That compares with about $13 million for their counterparts in NSW and about $9 million for the top senior roles within Victoria Police.

However the state government has rejected the comparison between the services saying they operate on a different ranking system.

FRV sources say the gaping disparity has been caused by years of lucrative pay deals and promotions orchestrated by the powerful United Firefighters Union.

Both Fire Rescue Victoria and Fire and Rescue NSW each have one commissioner with a comparable number of deputies.

However the Victorian service boasts 66 Assistant Chief Fire Officers and 199 Commanders, compared with NSW’s 61 officers in equivalent roles.

Last month it was revealed commanders and assistant chief fire officers secured a $3 million pay rise, with a 5.5 per cent “availability allowance” backdated to January 2020.

All other members received a 2.5 per cent pay increase.

Despite the service being top heavy with management, commissioner Ken Block earlier this year warned FRV was underperforming and challenged senior officers to shape up or leave.

In a damning assessment of the organisation Mr Block said, in recorded comments later leaked to the Herald Sun, that it was far below a world best service.

“There’s lots of room here to get better at what we do. We need to start to work together as a team. We need to somehow refocus,” he said in February.

“How we stack up against the best departments internationally relates more around our ability — our capacity — to respond to the risk in our state than anything else.

“I have got to tell you, we’re wanting. There is so much opportunity for us to get better.”

Militant union leader Peter Marshall was last year re-elected as secretary of the UFU after being challenged for the top spot.

Despite concerns about the way the union is run, Mr Marshall was re-elected for another three years.

“He’s smart and he’s got firefighters amazing pay and conditions with promises of more so people will just run with what’s good for their pocket now,” one source said.

Mr Marshall remains Australia’s best-paid union boss and is in the middle of a court fight for a bigger retirement payout totalling $1 million.

Amid anger over his increasing stranglehold on the union, three key members of the UFU including vice president Mick Tisbury failed to hold on to their positions.

Gembrook MP Brad Battin said there was internal anger over the way the service was being managed.

“Now we can 100% see why the United Firefighters Union were pushing so hard for the Andrews Labor Government at the 2018 election,” he said.

“This is not about community safety, it is about payback.

“There is no justification for these obscene costs, how can FRV management cost fives times Victoria Police, no wonder taxes are going up in Victoria.”

A government spokesperson said the senior operational staff led a workforce of more than 4200 operational and corporate personnel.

“Our firefighters put their lives on the line every day for our safety and we’re continuing to provide the resources and support they need to look after their safety and that of the community,” she said.

“Victoria has high performing fire agencies in FRV and CFA who continue to respond quickly to fires protecting life and property.”

The spokesperson said the senior ranks were not directly comparable to Fire and Rescue NSW or Victoria Police as they each operated on a different ranking system, and included additional ranks.

Originally published as Victoria’s top firefighters earning $40m more than NSW bosses per year