We know from bitter and often tragic experience backed up by international research
that the sacrifice volunteers make in order to protect their communities brings with it both short and long term risk.
That is why VFBV is continuing to promote to the State Government the importance of enacting Presumptive Legislation to protect
all Victorian fire fighters who face cancer as a result of their service.
We are relying on commitments made by both sides of the Victorian Parliament leading up to the last State Election that, regardless of who was in power, career and volunteer
fire fighters would receive the protection that only such legislation can deliver.
The State Government is still considering its position in relation to the detail of the legislation and therefore how it will affect volunteers and their families.
For some volunteers the greatest benefit they receive will be the reassurance that their family will be supported. In finalising their legislation, we know that the Government is not only investigating the costs of any scheme but also the degree to which volunteers feel strongly that they should be considered equally with career fire fighters.
VFBV is contacting and meeting with policy makers as often as we can in order to impress upon them the critical importance of their decision. It is vitally important that volunteers and their families also let their local communities and Government members know how they feel.
The first and most important action volunteers can do is to contact your local Government MP as soon as possible. Let them know how you feel about protection for fire fighters who contract one of the occupationally prevalent cancers. Let them know how you feel about equity of treatment for career and volunteer
fire fighters.
All CFA Brigades are served by at least one State Government Member in the Upper House as well as their local MP. They will all respond to any request to meet, however the Government of the day will ultimately make the decision, and
we know they can be influenced by strong representations from the community.
After resisting opportunities to introduce this legislation for the majority of the last term of Government, the Coalition parties now support the provisions that would
provide protection for all fire fighters. Their support is welcome, but like the Government they have yet to provide complete and specific details that will give volunteers the assurance that they will not support legislation that contains any critical flaws that discriminate against volunteers.
Approaching your local MPs is not difficult, and can range from a formal letter to a simple email, a chat at a local event, or a letter or story in your local newspaper.
I have
personally spent years talking about this issue with various spokespeople from all sides of politics, Ministers and Shadow Ministers. I have heard them speak passionately about their respect for volunteer fire fighters, and I refuse to believe that after hearing from fire fighters and their communities, this Government would pass legislation that would discriminate against CFA volunteers.
Finally, please keep VFBV informed of actions that you, your Brigade and your community are undertaking to promote fair and equitable Fire Fighter Cancer legislation. Your delegates have assured us and we continue to believe that you, the members, are absolutely committed to have this protection passed into
law.
Hopefully the protection afforded by proposed Presumptive Legislation will be needed by only a few, but those volunteers and their families will be in desperate need, and when the time comes there should be no discriminatory barrier to their
receiving the help to which they are rightly entitled for their years of service to the community.
The attached documents also provide a one page explanation of presumptive cancer legislation, and briefing points on why volunteers are concerned
about possible incident thresholds.
