News

SitRep 21/2022

April 14, 2022

Budget Estimates Continued…FRNSW Stations Just ‘Bricks and Mortar’

As noted in last week’s Sitrep, Members are now aware that FRNSW have engaged consultative firm KPMG, presumably at a significant cost, on a number of projects including some which would see some stations long-standing health and safety issues remedied over others, based on the existing dwindling FRNSW budget.

FRNSW have been unwilling to divulge exactly what these projects are, what they cost, and under what terms of reference the relationship exists. The FBEU are attempting to source these details through the Government Information (Public Access) Act. This action is indicative of the many problems we face around transparency on matters surrounding your employment, particularly with respect to health and safety, and budgets.

We encourage FRNSW to talk to Firefighters and their representatives if they truly want to know what needs to be fixed. They might be surprised as to how little this costs the taxpayer.

We will report back to Members in due course.

In other news, Budget Estimate comments surrounding guaranteed response times for the NSW community continue to play out in the public forum with 2GB describing the comments from decision makers as ‘lamentable’ and ‘bumbling’. Members can listen here to the segment here.

May Day Events – Registrations Open 

May Day is fast approach and we encourage all Members and their families to attend what is a great day of solidarity across our movement. Staff and SCoM Reps are organising across three events on Saturday April 30^th and Sunday May 1^st.

Register below:

Sydney May Day – 11:30am, Sunday May 1, Sydney Town Hall Square. Meeting point: TBC. Register here.

Newcastle May Day  – 10am, Sunday May 1,: Newcastle Museum. Meeting point TBC. Register here.

Wollongong May Day – 10am, Saturday April 30, 2022: Lowden Square. Meeting point TBC. Register here.

If there is a May Day event in your town and you would like to organise a FBEU contingent and need support – please get in touch with your SCOM Rep, Organiser, or office@fbeu.net.

The FBEU Stands in Solidarity with Ukranian Firefighters

Your State Committee successfully moved a motion that read as follows;

The FBEU stands in solidarity with Ukrainian Professional Firefighters and offers our respect, admiration and support. Firefighting is a dangerous and risky occupation that all Professional Firefighters understand and accept. To undertake those activities in a war that we are all witnessing via the media, confirms the dedication that those men and women display daily.

The Ukrainian Government reports that as of this week, 26 Firefighters have died during rescue operations, 50 are injured, 6 are currently held captive as prisoners of war, and over 150 fire stations have been destroyed. The Geneva Convention forbids any harm to rescue personnel while they are performing their duties, therefore these deaths may constitute war crimes.

In Unity

Leighton Drury
State Secretary

You can download a printable version of the SitRep here.