Constituency question

The Murray River is between you but, bar getting out and waving, there’s not really much you can do.

Bruce Forrest, Beechworth CFA captain, in evidence to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements: July 3, 2020

Tania MAXWELL (Northern Victoria) (12:52): (1605)

February 9, 2022

My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services (Hon. Jaclyn Symes MP).

Incompatible radio networks between emergency services in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia make communication between border brigades near impossible.

In 2004 the (Council of Australian Governments’) National Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management supported the alignment of emergency services’ communications between the states.

The 2020 Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements report notes that little progress has been made in the 17 years since.

The former Walwa CFA captain (David Hanna) noted recently that after 45 years in the CFA the communication systems remain incompatible and requests for basic upgrades to equipment and facilities have been ignored.

Lack of action on this issue is frankly dangerous for residents in border communities and hampers the tactical capacity of local emergency services. So my question is: will the government commit to a time line and finally sort this out?

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Image: Border Mail 2020