28th of May, 2024
Victorian Legislative Council, Melbourne
RACHEL PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan): My constituency question is for the Minister for Emergency Services. My constituent is a man living in Frankston North. He volunteers his time to support the State Emergency Service Frankston unit. Thanks to incredible volunteers like him, we have a 480,000-strong team prepared to respond to a wide range of emergencies throughout Victoria. Unfortunately, this unit is forced to rely on volunteer-led fundraising to procure equipment and maintain facilities. Many other states include their State Emergency Service in the broad emergency services levy – Victoria does not. So, my constituent asks: what is the minister doing to ensure indexed sustainable funding so this unit and my constituent can continue the good critical work they do?
Written Response, Received 20/06/2024
I thank the member for raising this matter.
SES volunteers are always there when the community needs them most. This was on full display during the extraordinary response to the 2022 flood event and the fires, floods and storms experienced last summer. VICSES volunteers selflessly give their time to protect and help others; and are essential to the State’s response before, during and after emergencies.
This year’s budget recognises the importance of volunteers and includes almost $7 million above the base for VICSES to support their volunteers through volunteer training, Incident Management Team training and a volunteer support program. As this financial year comes to a close VICSES has received approximately $69 million in net funding.
The 2023-24 budget funded 35 heavy rescue trucks for VICSES. This is in addition to the 21 heavy rescue trucks and 7 medium rescue trucks funded in 2022-23. This was in addition to the 21 heavy rescue trucks and 7 medium rescue trucks funded in the 2022-23 Budget. The total capital funding allocated to VICSES over the past 4 years is over $92.94 million.
This year we will be opening VICSES sites in Cranbourne, Officer, Aintree, Point Cook and Wonthaggi, and we have committed funding for new facilities in Bannockburn, Kilmore, Rochester and Heathcote. $500,000 has also been allocated to the planning for a future Footscray VICSES facility.
In November 2023, I announced more than $2.4 million for VICSES through the VESEP grants of course I recognise the efforts of vols to fundraise and VESEP responds to those efforts with 2:1 funding for equipment and facility enhancements. Many SES units already have their applications in for the latest round.
Through this program the Frankston VICSES Unit has received three grants since 2015-16 towards the purchase of new or replacement vehicles and appliances, including $128,700 in 2020-21, $195,000 in 2021-22 and $82,538 in 2023-24.
More recently, on 26 May 2024 the unit officially opened their new Skye Satellite facility. The Victorian Government invested more than $3.8 million in the construction of the Skye facility. The new satellite facility now ensures VICSES Frankston volunteers can store essential equipment and vehicles in two locations within the area, helping provide a more efficient response to the Skye community during an emergency.
It goes without saying that the VICSES is vital to the response and recovery in emergencies and as such is supported by consistent, sustainable annual government funding as well as necessary top ups however any supplementary funding models such as inclusion in the Fire Services Property Levy are worthy of consideration and the Premier has confirmed it is reasonable for the government to look at it, but we must factor in that it requires legislation and there will be a concern from land owners that any changes affect them. Regardless of which government source the money comes from, the Allan Labor government will continue to fund VICSES and all emergency services to ensure they can continue to deliver their critical service to all Victorians.
Jaclyn Symes MP
Attorney-General
Minister for Emergency Services
