In a fire emergency, the badge you wear shouldn’t matter

• State Government funding announcement today is a letdown for 20,000 Bushfire Brigade Volunteers 

• Extra funding for DFES firefighters but little funding for local volunteers 

• WALGA urges the State Government to ensure that our volunteers get the support they need in the May Budget.  

WALGA is disappointed that the critical role played by local bushfire volunteers has been ignored by the State Government in the $75.4 million emergency management package announced today. 

Today’s announcement, funding Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) career firefighters and DFES-managed volunteers, completely ignores the need for additional support to ensure that Local Government Volunteer Bushfire Brigades have what they need to keep their communities safe in the face of more frequent and intense natural disasters across the state. 

WALGA’s State Budget Submission is calling for $48.3 million in 2024-25 to address the shortfall in funding, which has been growing each year. This is needed to ensure that Volunteers have access to the same standards of facilities and equipment as their DFES counterparts.   

WALGA has also asked for additional Community Emergency Service Managers across regional Western Australia.  

WALGA President Karen Chappel says today’s announcement offers little for the Volunteer Bushfire Brigades. 

“In a fire emergency, the badge you wear and the colour of your uniform shouldn’t matter. 

“This announcement ignores the critical needs of our volunteers. We have repeatedly asked for money for ageing facilities, trucks, sheds, communications, equipment and labour. We have so many requests for Capital Grants ($45m backlog), yet it appears these funding requests are being completely ignored. 

“Volunteer Bushfire Brigade volunteers are often the everyday people called into dangerous situations when the metropolitan career firefighters are not around. 

“It is not OK in this State that paid firefighters are being looked after by this announcement but vollies are not. 

“Is this the best we can do to keep our communities and our volunteers safe…?  

“At WALGA we urge the State Government to provide our volunteers with the support they need in the upcoming May Budget.” 

For an interview with WALGA President Karen Chappel please contact:   

Simon Beaumont or Taysha Sullivan at WALGA Media and Communications 

0448 896 435 or sbeaumont@walga.asn.au; tsullivan@walga.asn.au