Wednesday, 22 June 2022

Western Victoria Region

Mrs McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:38): (1860) My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services and concerns the Bannockburn SES unit’s desperate need for new facilities. The unit is responsible for emergency response in the Golden Plains shire, and significant local population growth and proximity to busy roads between other growth areas have seen demand increase significantly. Requests for assistance, RFAs, have doubled in the last 10 years to over 100 in 2021. The corresponding increase in equipment and vehicles is compromised by sharing facilities with the Bannockburn CFA. The SES light rescue vehicle is stored at a private address and exposed to the elements. Equipment stored in multiple locations risks response times increasing. Both CFA and SES volunteers share one toilet—a problem, as at times there are 50 to 60 people on site. Minister, when will Bannockburn SES receive funding to build a new and adequate facility?