Labor's Secret 38pc Cut To Rural Firies

Rural firefighters battle hard to keep us all safe year-round, and the LNP wants the State Government to restore the $20 million in funding it has secretly cut from them over the past two years

September 1, 2020

The LNP is demanding the Palaszczuk Labor Government reverse its disgraceful decision to rip another $7m from the budget of our Rural Fire Brigades.

The shocking funding cut means Labor will have slashed spending on rural firies by $20m in just two years, from $52m in 2018-19 to just $32m this financial year (ie a 38 per cent cut).

The Rural Fire Brigade Association of Queensland (RFBAQ) has been notified of the funding cut, but Labor has made no public announcement.

These cuts mean less money for training, less money for fire trucks and less money for equipment.

No wonder volunteers are walking away from our rural brigades!

In contrast to Labor’s cuts and confusion, the LNP has announced a 10-point bushfire mitigation plan, which includes restoring local control to rural fire brigades as well as establishing a dedicated Rural Fire Board.

The LNP’s 10-point bushfire mitigation plan is:

One-stop-shop for streamlined approval processes
Deemed approval after 15 business days under a “right to burn” model
New KPIs to achieve 98 per cent of hazard reduction activities
Indigenous rangers to undertake traditional burning
Establish a Natural Disaster Cabinet Committee to monitor preparations
Monitored grazing in state forests, some national parks to manage fuel loads
Establish metropolitan-based Rural Fire Volunteer brigades
Restore local control to Rural Fire brigades
Establish a Rural Fire Board
Review of aerial firefighting capability

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I was very proud to be invited to commemorate the end of WWII in Murgon recently with Eric Law AM, Murgon RSL president John Drew and (seated) Murgon’s oldest surviving WWII veteran, 97-year-old Alf (Mick) Purser

Murgon Commemorates 75th Anniversary Of End Of WWII

From the smallest of country towns to the biggest cities in Queensland and Australia, they all lost sons and daughters during WWII.

I was honoured to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the end of WWII with Murgon WWII pilot Mick Purser.

At 97 years of age Mick is a proud, active community member.

We remembered all those who gave their lives, risked their lives and sacrificed so much for our freedom.

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Linville Hotel publicans Leah and Paul are kept pretty busy these days catering the the increasing flow of t tourists travelling along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail

Busy Times In Linville

When I visited Linville recently it was bustling!

The Linville Hotel, owned by Paul and Leah, was busy serving delicious pub lunches to the many day-trippers from around SEQ and the local region.

And just a cross the road, literally hundreds of people were camping and enjoying the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT).

It is fantastic to see how popular the BVRT has become, especially as more people holiday domestically and discover this amazing rail trail experience right in their own backyard.

I’d encourage everyone to check out the BVRT, the Link Trails between Yarraman, Nanango and Kingaroy and also the South Burnett Rail Trail. And they’re right here in our own backyard!