March 2, 2021

My question is to the acting Minister for Emergency Services regarding the Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program.

Emergency service organisations are heavily reliant on this program to fund new equipment.  For example, the Beechworth fire brigade are waiting on confirmation of funding for two ultra-lights, which I raised in Parliament last year and wrote again to the Minister, after attended a meeting at Beechworth where the community highlighted the risk to their town without these vehicles.

Similarly, the Koondrook CFA anxiously awaits news of funding for a replacement tanker. Their existing tanker is 32 years old, unsafe and in constant need of repair.  And the list goes on for other brigades.

Minister, the VESEP grants are usually announced in January and emergency services rely on this to plan their vehicles for the year.  Given it is now March, could the Minister please confirm when the VESEP funding will be announced?