Gippsland East MP, Tim Bull, has blasted the State Government’s hopeless and flawed Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund exemptions for CFA volunteers and said the criteria for eligibility is too restrictive.
“Like many other things, the State Government has completely made a mess of the process,”
he said.
“I recently had a CFA Life Member and volunteer present to my office in pure exasperation.
“Despite giving much of his life to the CFA he was unable to navigate the complicated on-line process and after seeking help from the CFA head office and received no real support – just a list of instructions with an incorrect password.
“He presented to my office and, after an hour and a half, my
staff were able to navigate the process for him.
“His story is not isolated, and the reality is many volunteers are giving up as it is just too hard.”
Mr Bull said the second area was not have such exclusive criteria.
“I have one local brigade captain, who only owns one property, a vacant block of land. He is presently renting and saving to build a home,” he said.
“However, the criteria says the exemption only applies to the principal place of residence, so here is a brigade captain no less, paying the levy on the only property he owns.
“What a way to thank our volunteers.
“I have asked the Minister to step in and make the process more streamlined and ease the criteria to better support those volunteers who support and protect us year round,” Mr Bull said.
