My adjournment matter for the Minister for Police and Emergency Services is in
regard to the latest round of the community safety emergency support grants.
Some months ago the minister announced that applications were open for the new
$3.76 million 2009 round of the community safety emergency support program. This
program plays a crucial role in the government’s support for local volunteer
emergency services groups whose members do an outstanding job, often under very
difficult conditions, to keep the people of Victoria safe in emergency
circumstances.
It will be in our minds for a very long time, but we only have
to look back to events of Black Saturday to see how important a role these
amazing people and groups play in our safety.
The astonishing courage, self-sacrifice, compassion and resolve
of our exceptional emergency services volunteers does not go unnoticed. As a
government we invest heavily to give these groups the equipment that is needed
to provide their services to the best of their ability. In fact in the last
budget the Labor government committed $48.5 million to replace various Country
Fire Authority and State Emergency Service appliances, vehicles and equipment.
I am aware that the Lorne, Heywood and Otway CFA units have
applied for equipment to be funded under the community safety emergency support
program. I know that the minister has encouraged groups to apply, as I have. I
call on the minister to support local emergency services groups in Western
Victoria Region, particularly those I have mentioned — the Lorne, Heywood and
Otway CFA units — through the latest round of community safety emergency
support grants.