Protecting those who protect you
This week, the National Delegates of the United Firefighters Union of Australia (National Union) met in Canberra, ACT for its annual National Committee of Management meeting.
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I acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples as the traditional owners and custodians of the Canberra area and pay respect to the elders, past and present, of all Australia’s Indigenous peoples.
When talking about fire, acknowledgement of country and people takes on a special resonance. The effective utilisation of fire by Indigenous peoples to shape this country is well documented.
We are here today to call on Governments Work collaboratively in the interests of firefighter and community safety to:
These initiatives should be facilitated by the establishment of a subject
matter expert committee operating at a Federal level to audit the
progression of recommendations of Senate Inquiries and other bodies, with
a view to expediting coordinated and decisive action.
This week we, representatives of career firefighters across Australia have been meeting in Canberra to set out our priorities and directions for the next year. We are joined in that endeavor by our dear colleagues from the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union, and we have been addressed by representatives of our global alliance partners the International Association of Firefighters.
Obviously, we could not meet without addressing the widespread, devastating and unprecedented fires that burn right now across Australia, and most obviously along the great divide and eastern seaboard.
We say to those who are affected by these fires that you have much more than our sympathy. While our members serve you in your hours of greatest need, you have our commitment to fight for additional resources, policies and actions to bring greater protection from these fires, and address some of the factors which make them worse.
We recognize the recent findings of the Climate Council’s studies, including that released 2 days ago, specifically:
We are experiencing not only increased bushfire risk, but also more extreme weather events which place an increased demand on emergency services including fire and rescue services. For example, ferocious winds rapidly fan flames, shift fire fronts and ground firefighting aircraft, all combining to make fires more dangerous and more difficult to fight.
The longer fire seasons, the increasingly unpredictable and changeable weather conditions, the hotter temperatures and lower rainfall all combine to increase the challenges that firefighters face on the fireground.
There are 2 things about firefighters and firefighting that need to be said. The first is, that our members have a philosophy of “leaving the job in better shape than they found it”. The second is, that on their worst day, firefighters still give 100% effort and performance, because if they don’t it is certain that people will die.
Our politicians would do well to match the effort and commitment of firefighters in addressing the very real escalation of fire risks and the very real pain and loss that communities now face. The problems facing our political leaders require that, like firefighters, they give 100% commitment to leaving things better than they found them.
We have been pointing to these problems for some time, and they’ve been getting worse.
In 1994 in New South Wales alone, fires which were then considered a national disaster burnt over 800,000 hectares and destroyed 225 houses. This led to the formation of the Rural Fire Service.
Just days ago, the NSW RFS reported that 7,300 bush and grass fires had destroyed over 2 million hectares of land, 673 homes, and 1,400 other buildings, and taken the lives of 6 people.
Locally, In January 2003, 160,000 hectares (almost 70%) of the A.C.T and a further 100,000 hectares in neighbouring N.S.W were burnt in devastating bushfires.
In 2013, a study by undertaken by the National Institute of Economic and Industry Research, found that to deal with climate related increased bushfire risks, Australia will need to increase the number of firefighters by between 67% and 83% by 2030. The same study concluded that the A.C.T will need to increase the number of firefighters by between 75% and 96% over the same period: almost double the current number.
In 2014 A study by the climate council in found that Heatwaves are hotter, longer and more often, and hot days in Australia have doubled in the last 50 years. (Climate Council 2014)
In recent weeks 23 former fire chiefs united to bring this message to the fore:
“It’s exactly as we predicted.”
“We’ve seen records broken and the word ‘unprecedented’ used on many occasions,” he said.
“Fires are literally off the scale in fire danger in this warming planet.
“This is showing how climate change is supercharging the bushfire problem in Australia, and internationally.”
I would observe that when you have former fire chiefs and the union representing firefighters as one on this issue, it gives great weight to the compelling message on climate change and fires and emergencies.
We say to Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments today, this is what you must do, and you must do this now:
Work collaboratively in the interests of firefighter and community safety to:
These initiatives should be facilitated by the establishment of a subject
matter expert committee operating at a Federal level to audit the
progression of recommendations of Senate Inquiries and other bodies, with
a view to expediting coordinated and decisive action.
To those who for whatever reason do not agree with what we have to say about the impact of climate change on fires, we say this:
The things we are urging be done will not hurt you. They will help you. Please listen to us – we are listening to you, and our members are serving you in your moments of greatest need. Please, help us to help you.
As each day passes, decisive action becomes more urgent. Our members see first hand the devastation that is being caused. There are no climate sceptics on the end of a fire hose.
Thank you.
For questions:
In 2017, the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC), sent a proposal on behalf of all states and territories to Canberra for an annual increase of $11 million above its existing $15 million in funding, but they still do not have an answer. Now while Aerial firefighting craft are highly important, they are not the only answer: with the Queensland fires several weeks ago we saw such aircraft grounded by extreme winds.
Extreme weather examples
Some examples of that extreme weather are:
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The Union representing the nation’s 11,000 professional firefighters has issued an unprecedented call for nationally consistent firefighting as the climate crisis extends and intensifies the fire season.
The United Firefighters Union of Australia passed a unanimous resolution at its national council in Canberra demanding a national approach that would allow firefighting to operate seamlessly across borders, improving the compatibility and capacity of different state and territory services, and boosting the number of professional firefighters.
The resolution also calls for the urgent phase-out of coal, oil and gas, warning they are driving more dangerous and intense fires.
A Climate Council paper released last month points out that since the mid-1990s, southeast Australia has experienced a 15 per cent decline in late autumn and early winter rainfall and a 25 per cent decline in average rainfall in April and May. Rainfall for January to August 2019 was the lowest on record in the Southern Downs (Queensland) and Northern Tablelands (New South Wales).
UFUA National President Greg McConville said urgent action was needed, both to arrest climate change and plan for its consequences.
“Now is absolutely the time to talk about climate change, and the ever more intense fires being fought by our members,” Mr McConville said.
“We are stretched to breaking point. The fire season is longer and more intense than ever. We need to begin work now to boost the nation’s firefighting capacity and make it truly interoperable.
“Our members are living climate change now, duelling with intense, uncontrollable blazes, just as the citizens of our major cities are choking on bushfire smog and blinking in the haze.
“We need a national approach to this challenge. And that’s why we have come to Canberra. Our nation’s politicians need to begin planning now for the reality of harsher and longer bushfire seasons.”
MEDIA RELEASE
National approach needed for firefighting as climate crisis hits
Thursday, 5 December 2019
To arrange an interview: Nick Lucchinelli 0422 229 032
The post National approach needed for firefighting as climate crisis hits appeared first on United Firefighters Union Australia.
The Union representing the nation’s 11,000 professional firefighters has issued an unprecedented call for nationally consistent firefighting as the climate crisis extends and intensifies the fire season.
The United Firefighters Union of Australia passed a unanimous resolution at its national council in Canberra demanding a national approach that would allow firefighting to operate seamlessly across borders, improving the compatibility and capacity of different state and territory services, and boosting the number of professional firefighters.
The resolution also calls for the urgent phase-out of coal, oil and gas, warning they are driving more dangerous and intense fires.
A Climate Council paper released last month points out that since the mid-1990s, southeast Australia has experienced a 15 per cent decline in late autumn and early winter rainfall and a 25 per cent decline in average rainfall in April and May. Rainfall for January to August 2019 was the lowest on record in the Southern Downs (Queensland) and Northern Tablelands (New South Wales).
UFUA National President Greg McConville said urgent action was needed, both to arrest climate change and plan for its consequences.
“Now is absolutely the time to talk about climate change, and the ever more intense fires being fought by our members,” Mr McConville said.
“We are stretched to breaking point. The fire season is longer and more intense than ever. We need to begin work now to boost the nation’s firefighting capacity and make it truly interoperable.
“Our members are living climate change now, duelling with intense, uncontrollable blazes, just as the citizens of our major cities are choking on bushfire smog and blinking in the haze.
“We need a national approach to this challenge. And that’s why we have come to Canberra. Our nation’s politicians need to begin planning now for the reality of harsher and longer bushfire seasons.”
MEDIA RELEASE
National approach needed for firefighting as climate crisis hits
Thursday, 5 December 2019
To arrange an interview: Nick Lucchinelli 0422 229 032
The post National approach needed for firefighting as climate crisis hits appeared first on United Firefighters Union Australia.
We refer to the Post Election Report (available here) and its comments about the interpretation and application of UFUA rules 23(8) and (11) under the heading ‘Other Matters’ on page 3.
We advise that the National Committee of Management Election Meeting is now usually held after 5pm on the day of the closure of the ballot.
Nevertheless, we have asked counsel to advise on appropriate rule alterations to clarify the rules and address any potential difficulties identified by your Report.
Please contact Michelle Baldini at the UFU Office should anything further be required.
Posted on behalf of Peter Marshall, National Secretary
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The Post-Election Report for the 2019 National Officers elections is available from the UFU or UFU Branch on request of members and is also available here (PDF file 800kB – right click/cmd click to save, or click to open in browser.
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Please note that nominations are called for National Committee of Management Delegates.
Positions open include National Secretary and National President.
Please find below the notice and nomination forms.
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Please note, the audited financial statement for Financial Year Ending 30 June 2018 are now available from the financials page.
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For the latest information regarding the Branch Elections please click on the red link below.
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In many countries around the world, firefighters and their hard won conditions of employment have and still are, being attacked by conservative politicians. This ideological driven process is designed to undermine and besmirch their unions. The aim being to weaken their unions influence and through favourable media coverage, also gain support from the general public and in doing this, Australia is no different. In particular, career firefighters in the State of Victoria have suffered immensely from this approach, which was heartily supported by the Prime Minister and the conservative Federal Liberal Government. One outcome of this was that, those same firefighters have not had a pay rise in 6 years but, the other more insidious outcome, was the result this attack has had on many firefighters mental health and well being.
Re-printed below is the feelings of one of these firefighters from Melbourne, which he posted on Facebook following another false and misleading article published in the Herald Sun.
“I love my job. The one thing I despise isn’t even in the job description. It’s the fact that it’s used by the media/journalists in conjunction with politicians (***Matthew Guy) for ulterior purposes.
Yesterday’s front page headlines (particularly in the Herald Sun) were strategically designed to mislead the masses and cause anger.
It was reported that firefighters would be getting a sudden 19% pay rise and 200 days leave per year in a new deal.
The information was conveniently portrayed this way as they want to pin this on Premier Daniel Andrews that he has ‘rolled over’ and this is important for the opposition as it’s an ELECTION YEAR.
What they intentionally left out was that the 19% pay rise was over a 6 YEAR PERIOD.
The 200 days leave they calculated was a journalist conveniently adding up every and any type of leave available like compassionate leave (someone in your immediate family dies), paternity leave, carers leave, defense force leave, sick leave etc. This is nothing new and is an industry standard.
We get 65 days annual leave not 200 and we like most other shift workers are rostered on public holidays. A decent portion of the extra annual leave is due to the fact we work an average 42 hour week, those extra couple of hours are accrued as leave as opposed to paid as overtime.
What sucks is Fireys like myself are left in a position where we have to defend ourselves from misleading information that is put out there time and time again. We can’t buy a front page headline to tell the truth of a topic, so they will continue to tell lies. All we can do is explain the truth in person and through Facebook for now.
This reminds me to be careful of what I read/hear through the news as there’s so much blatant manipulation particularly when there’s an election to be won. The Liberals in Victoria (led by Matthew Guy) can be so dirty and funnily enough are the first ones to throw firefighters, police and paramedics under the bus often through their journalist friends in the Herald Sun newspaper in Victoria.”
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