A fire in Harden’s CBD shut Neill Street in 2016 while crews attended the scene.
The NSW Labor Opposition today slammed the NSW Liberals and Nationals for their swingeing cuts to emergency services which they tried to sneak through in yesterday’s state budget.
Under this Liberal and National Government, the capital budgets of both Fire and Rescue NSW and the Rural Fire Service have been cut by 35.4 per cent and 75.2 per cent respectively – the equivalent to axing the jobs of at least 100 firefighters and 50 new firefighting trucks.
The Government’s massive cut to emergency services is made worse by its refusal to pay for desperately needed workers compensation for firefighters out of consolidated revenue, instead passing the $160 million cost on to ordinary families and to local councils by way of a new tax.
NSW’s population has grown by between 80,000 and 120,000 each year over the past 8 years. This continual growth has placed an ever increasing demand on our frontline emergency services agencies and on the workers who put themselves in danger to protect the public
NSW Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Guy Zangari said: “Firefighters across the state have been sold short by the Berejiklian Governments heinous cuts in this budget. Minister David Elliott must explain why he has allowed for budget cuts to occur to our frontline firefighters”
“In lieu of increases to council rates and insurance premiums under the Liberals/Nationals Government, they have had the audacity to cut funding to NSW Fire & Rescue and the Rural Fire Service.
“Firefighters deserve the best possible resources at their disposal to keep communities safe. Even so, the Liberals and Nationals have cut funding at the expense of this vital frontline emergency service.
“Despite the surpluses the Treasurer and this Government have spruiked, both Fire and Rescue and the RFS have been left exposed as our frontline firefighters are let down once again.”
