Vic: Brumby rejects calls for fire services to merge

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2010
Vic: Brumby rejects calls for fire services to merge

GEELONG, April 14 AAP - Victorian Premier John Brumby has rejected union calls to merge
the state's metropolitan and country fire agencies.

United Firefighters Union members are rallying to have the Country Fire Authority (CFA)
and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) unite, saying it would achieve better coordination
and response times.

But Mr Brumby, who is a CFA volunteer, said the dual services had served Victoria well
and would continue to do so in the future.

"I've not supported a single provider, that's never been my view," he told reporters
on Wednesday.

"We've got one of the great volunteer firefighting services in the world, it's called
the CFA and I don't want to lose that, you've got more than 50,000 volunteers who are
a part of it.

"I've never been a supporter of a single fire service, however, if these are matters
the (bushfires royal) commission will examine ... we will look carefully at all of their
recommendations," Mr Brumby said.

AAP cmb/jxt/jnb

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES UNION BRUMBY

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