Greater autonomy for rural fire brigades
The LNP’s stance
A LNP government will deliver Rural Fire Brigades greater local administrative and community autonomy. Specifically, a LNP government will ensure:
- Rural fire levies collected by local councils are passed back to the local brigades.
- Rural fire-fighters, local residents and local fire experts can make decisions with minimal interference and micro-management from head office bureaucrats.
- Rural fire brigades can keep and control every dollar raised through local fundraising activities.
Reasons for this stance
Rural fire fighters, local residents and local fire experts are the people best placed to make common sense decisions to manage fire risks in their community.
Background information
Under Bligh and Labor centralised bureaucrats are hindering rural fire brigades and increasingly micro-managing every aspect of rural fire operations.
The LNP is concerned that Labor’s approach is killing off the volunteer spirit and culture. Official statistics suggest this is indeed occurring with approximately 2000 volunteers lost to the rural fire service between 2007 and 2009.
The Bligh Labor Government has set a Q2 Target of increasing volunteer numbers in Queensland by 50 per cent by 2020.
This is in contrast with its approach to the Rural Fire Service and the government’s increasing micro-management of Rural Fire Brigades.