By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS
SHADOW Minister for Emergency Services and member for Gembrook Brad Battin has slammed the State Budget for a lack of funding for SES units.
“As far as I’ve seen, there is zero funding for any SES in the capital funding.
“The SES is a statutory authority like the CFA and it is vital government works with that statutory body to give them the correct funding to ensure the safety of the volunteers at these stations,” he said.
Mr Battin said the poor condition of the Emerald SES unit’s shed was evidence that there needed to be more funding for SES units everywhere.
“There are SES units all over the state and there are many that need money but there’s not many that turn out 1000 times a year and this is a big issue here,” he said.
Emerald SES is one of the busiest units in the state and has been waiting on funding for an upgrade for their facilities for three years.
Ben Owen from Emerald SES said he was disappointed another State Budget had gone by without any funding to upgrade their outdated unit shed.
“Prior to last state election the last government pledged funding for new station but we have seen no funding with this government,” he said.
“We have been operating out of this shed for over 30 years with one or two little attachments to fit a new truck but it is very outdated and very restricted for space.
“Members have to carry their uniforms in their cars because we have no space to hang them on the walls, we’ve got a portable toilet, no showering facilities, no heating.
“It is just a shed and it’s not big enough for trucks and vehicles for us to do what we need to do.”
Emerald SES has been forced to share space with the Cockatoo CFA for one of their rescue trucks because they don’t have the space to store it.
“We are very lucky the CFA were able to assist us but it just proves our shed does not meet our needs,” he said.
The local CFA also donates money brought in through their op-shop to help Emerald SES with purchasing new uniforms and safety equipment.
“We’ve got a local CFA who gives their op-shop money to us because the CFA decided we needed the money and were more desperate for it,” Mr Owen said.
“We have to buy our own gloves and glasses, these things aren’t provided by the state.”
While Emerald SES are based in the Gembrook electorate, Mr Owen said they serviced roughly 80 per cent of the Monbulk electorate, the seat of deputy premier James Merlino.
“I’ll be continuing to push for this funding,” Mr Battin said.
“We have one petition going already and we are starting up another one to get more of the community involved, not just in our electorate but we’ll be calling on James Merlino’s electorate as well because the SES services his electorate.”
“If you can’t train people properly, how can you expect them to work properly at their job? That’s going to have a negative impact on the community.
“Now it’s up to Daniel Andrews and James Merlino to fund the funding for a station like this,” he said.
Current State Minister for Emergency Services Jane Garrett has been contacted for comment.
