Alarm Bells For Mt Gellibrand Fire Tower And Fire Season
At the same time the Premier is spending tens of billions of dollars in next week’s 2020-21 Victorian Budget, he has failed to find $300,000 to keep a critical fire viewing tower operational at Mt Gellibrand.
The CFA has indicated the tower will be closed due to engineering and structural concerns, despite the Government being aware of the issue for three years.
The Liberal Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, said the outrageous decision comes two weeks out from the start to Summer and exposes gaps in the detection system.
It could be one of the worst seasons for grassfire in Western Victoria given the lush growing conditions this year.
“This is an extraordinary decision by the Andrews’ Government that could literally put lives at risk. Surely he’s done enough damage on that front this year, already,” Mrs McArthur said.
“This decision leaves a potentially lethal gap in the system simply because the Premier listens only to his UFU mates and because of his inside the tram tracks focus at the expense of rural Victorians.”
The Mt Gellibrand fire tower is a key lookout in the early warning fire system in the Colac/Winchelsea/Otways area. There are 72 towers across Victoria, each specifically located.
“Residents in the area are saying this closure creates a blind spot because the Peters Hill tower cannot view what the Gellibrand tower could see, leaving Hesse, Wingeel, Colac and all of District 6 in a black spot.
“Towers form a critical role in the early decision making about how to fight a fire outbreak. It is immediate information that is specific, targeted, authoritative and key to best decision making.”
“The towers inform the team that informs the trucks on the ground.
“Any suggestion that aircraft can magically pop up in these areas is a farcical and expensive alternative. Relying on possible eyewitnesses is another ill-informed option given the woeful mobile phone and internet coverage in the area,” Mrs McArthur said.
The Mt Gellibrand decision is yet another knife in the weaponry used by this city-centric union-run Labor Government to wreak further havoc within the volunteer led CFA.
“The Premier has splintered and demoralised the most outstanding volunteer organisation this country knows. Decisions such as the tower shutdown merely reinforce the abhorrent attitude towards regional Victorians, their volunteers and their safety.
“Closing this tower marks a very dark day for regional fire safety. It brings into doubt the future of every other essential fire tower in the state.
“If this vital asset is closed – what is the possibility others will follow the same fate – enabled by poor upkeep and no doubt a long-term strategy by the Government?”
The Mt Gellibrand tower closure announcement comes on the eve of the state budget – yet last year’s budget increased the cost of the Fire Levy by 10 per cent to every household.
The Levy will rise to $738 million in 2020-21, $756 million in 2021-22 and $776 million in 2022-23.
“This fund is resourced better than ever – not by the hard work of the Premier – but by the hard work and sacrifice of the Victorian people.
“This is their money – which should be re-invested in fire safety. This tower is critical – and the funds are clearly there.
“It is a fire safety farce – and it comes days after findings are handed down from the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.
“With disgusting and reckless decisions like this from the Premier – any wonder the Prime Minister believes he needs to get the Commonwealth involved in saving Victorian lives during emergency responses.”
Mrs McArthur said the Victorian Government must have an alternate capacity for assessing this fire area today – and that it should be ready - knowing that this announcement was imminent. Making good the tower is the only viable solution.
Even 3AW radio commentator, Neil Mitchell said on his program today:
“…Daniel Andrews is off the leash and his little bulldog Tim Pallas is off the leash as well. They are spending money at an horrendous rate. Over the past two weeks it’s more than $10.5 billion, ten and a half thousand million dollars. That’s more than $700 million a day. It’s around $30 million dollars an hours. It’s unprecedented…”
“Surely $300,000 can be found by this Premier Andrews to save this vital tower,” Mrs McArthur said.
18 November 2020