{"id":257730,"date":"2020-05-07T16:07:26","date_gmt":"2020-05-07T06:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=257730"},"modified":"2020-05-08T16:32:50","modified_gmt":"2020-05-08T06:32:50","slug":"blue-card-bungle-a-disgrace-mp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2020\/05\/07\/blue-card-bungle-a-disgrace-mp\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Card Bungle A Disgrace: MP"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Opposition emergency services spokesman Lachlan Millar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

May 7, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

The LNP has described the potential sacking of almost 5000 Rural Fire Brigade volunteers over their failure to apply for Blue Cards as “a disgrace”.<\/p>\n

Volunteers have been warned by letter (see below) they will be sacked if they do not apply for the cards within 30 days.<\/p>\n

Shadow Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Lachlan Millar said the looming mass sacking was “the latest example of the Palaszczuk Labor Government\u2019s appalling treatment of rural firies”.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is an absolute disgrace that those volunteers, who have stood on the frontline defending their communities, are being kicked out over paperwork,” Mr Millar said.<\/p>\n

\u201cA mass exodus of thousands of rural fire brigade volunteers is happening right now and it must be stopped.<\/p>\n

\u201cQueensland can\u2019t afford to have thousands of rural firies walk away.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that some regions will be losing half their brigade members right before fire season is alarming.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommunity safety is important, but the Blue Card requirement process demanded by Annastacia Palaszczuk has been bungled from day one.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time for Annastacia Palaszczuk to fix this mess before it\u2019s too late.”<\/p>\n

Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford said last year the State Government had received legal advice that Blue Card screening should be introduced for all QFES staff and volunteers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The requirement extended to paid QFES staff, auxiliary firefighters and SES volunteers as well as Rural Fire Brigade volunteers.<\/p>\n

This was because their duties included reducing danger to members of the public, which overlapped with the definition of health service providers in the Working With Children Act.<\/p>\n

The deadline to apply for a Blue Card has been extended on several occasions but 4904 RFB volunteers have not yet applied.<\/p>\n

Minister Crawford said this week more than 80 volunteer firefighters who have applied for Blue Cards have had their applications rejected.<\/p>\n

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The letter received by RFS volunteers who have not applied yet for a Blue Card (supplied by the LNP):<\/strong><\/p>\n

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