By PETER DOUGLAS
A RE-ELECTED Turnbull Government will block the contentious enterprise agreement that is the focus of a dispute between the United Firefighters Union (UFU) and the Country Fire Authority (CFA), according to Deputy Liberal Leader, Julie Bishop.
Along with La Trobe MP Jason Wood, Ms Bishop declared the Federal Government would use its powers to alter the Fair Work Act to halt approval of the agreement.
The Liberal duo made the announcement while speaking at a CFA rally in Belgrave on Saturday, 18 June, in which hundreds of CFA volunteers from the Dandenong Ranges took to the streets to voice their disapproval of the EBA.
First stop was the office of Monbulk MP, James Merlino, who is also the newly appointed Victorian Emergency Services Minister.
The CFA volunteers shouted their disapproval peacefully and clearly, while gaining support from many passers-by.
In front of the volunteers, Ms Bishop said if re-elected, the Federal Government would apply all levers at their disposal.
“We will not stand idly by and allow a Labor Government to unionise a volunteer organisation of 60,000 people across Victoria,” she said.
“This will not proceed.
“We will do whatever we can to protect the CFA and the spirit of volunteerism that underpins the work that they do.”
Ms Bishop told the volunteers their voices were being heard.
“I spoke to the Prime Minister (Malcolm Turnbull) this morning and he re-confirmed that a re-elected Turnbull Government will make changes to the Fair Work Act, so the Act cannot be misused to undermine volunteer organisations like the CFA,” Ms Bishop said.
“(Employment) Minister Michaelia Cash has already said she’s received advice on it, she knows what powers she has as a federal minister.
“We will take action as soon as we can.”
Mr Wood shared the sentiments of his Liberal colleague.
“The Dandenong Ranges is one of the most high fire-prone areas in Australia,” he said.
“These volunteers have done so much over so many years, without receiving one cent, to protect us in the hills.
“You have our full support.”
As the group progressed through the main street, many chanted ‘hands off CFA’, while many drivers showed their support by honking their car horns.
During the rally, Mick Hampton from the Monbulk CFA said the EBA was a great concern for many.
“If you read the EBA, a lot of that (our work) will stop because they want agencies to do the bidding,” he said.
“This includes non-operational services … such as the food van.”
Meanwhile, Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria representatives paid tribute to former CFA chief executive, Lucinda Nolan, who quit her post on Friday; as well as former Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett, who quit Cabinet after refusing to support the agreement.
