❓ Mr Jones asks about the government's $140 million investment in emergency services fleet expansion and its impact on community safety, local businesses, and jobs. The Minister responds, highlighting the new vehicles, local manufacturing, and benefits for regional WA.
AnsweredQoN 824Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EMERGENCY SERVICES FLEET
824. Mr H.T. JONES to the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to supporting our emergency services personnel
and keeping our communities safe. Can the
minister update the house on how this government's $140 million
investment in expanding our emergency
services fleet will help not only protect our community, but also support local
businesses and local jobs?
824. Mr H.T. JONES to the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to supporting our emergency services personnel
and keeping our communities safe. Can the
minister update the house on how this government's $140 million
investment in expanding our emergency
services fleet will help not only protect our community, but also support local
businesses and local jobs?
AnswerView source ↗
Absolutely. I thank the member for
Darling Range for his question and for his advocacy and strong support for the emergency services, including the volunteer
responders in his electorate. We know it is a very large electorate where bushfire is a threat. I know that the member is very interested in this issue.
It is true that this government has
announced a new fleet of firefighting appliances in the last week or so. It is
part of a commitment of $140 million of investment in firefighting emergency
vehicles and a flood rescue boat. We are entering the busiest time of the year
for our frontline crews and we believe that they deserve the very best equipment and vehicles. The new state-of-the-art
vehicles and the flood rescue boat will power their lifesaving work during bushfires, cyclones, floods and rescues. Of the $140 million worth of
vehicles, which amounts to 140 new vehicles, 30 per cent will be out on the
front line by Christmas. By this Christmas, those extra vehicles will be on the road, with the vast majority in regional Western
Australia. The next generation fleet includes the 4.4 Broad Acre tanker, a primary firefighting appliance,
especially for rural areas. This comes with a four-cab chassis option so that emergency services personnel in each of the locations throughout Western Australia
can choose the right appliance that suits local conditions. We also have the
general rescue utility, a brand new vehicle for the State Emergency Service. It is very excited about that vehicle.
There are also flood rescue boats for rescuing people from floodwaters .
I was in Collie and Eaton recently. Collie has taken possession of one of those
flood rescue boats, giving it a bit of a trial in the local Collie River. They
may or may not have taken fishing equipment but they assured me it was a professional
test of the new vehicle's capacity! There is also a new light tanker
fire truck—a very fast and mobile firefighting vehicle—which is
getting rave reviews.
This new fleet has improved safety
features. It is all about listening to volunteer and career firefighters who
have to live and work with and operate these vehicles. They have had a big
input into the design. The majority of these vehicles
are being manufactured in our own backyard. They are being manufactured under a
$125 million investment in local emergency services manufacturing. All
the light tankers and the 4.4 Broad Acre tankers are manufactured by Frontline Fire and Rescue Equipment in Malaga
and Collie. Believe it or not, fire trucks will be hitting our streets with a ''Made in Collie'' stamp on the side. I am sure lots of
proud members and former members of Collie will be rejoicing in that. The McGowan government is creating local jobs while
delivering the next generation of emergency services vehicles as part of
the government's continued investment in emergency services to keep our
community safer. This is a great outcome for Collie; it is a great outcome for
emergency services and it is a great outcome for all of our state.
The SPEAKER : The Deputy
Leader of the Opposition with the last question.
Darling Range for his question and for his advocacy and strong support for the emergency services, including the volunteer
responders in his electorate. We know it is a very large electorate where bushfire is a threat. I know that the member is very interested in this issue.
It is true that this government has
announced a new fleet of firefighting appliances in the last week or so. It is
part of a commitment of $140 million of investment in firefighting emergency
vehicles and a flood rescue boat. We are entering the busiest time of the year
for our frontline crews and we believe that they deserve the very best equipment and vehicles. The new state-of-the-art
vehicles and the flood rescue boat will power their lifesaving work during bushfires, cyclones, floods and rescues. Of the $140 million worth of
vehicles, which amounts to 140 new vehicles, 30 per cent will be out on the
front line by Christmas. By this Christmas, those extra vehicles will be on the road, with the vast majority in regional Western
Australia. The next generation fleet includes the 4.4 Broad Acre tanker, a primary firefighting appliance,
especially for rural areas. This comes with a four-cab chassis option so that emergency services personnel in each of the locations throughout Western Australia
can choose the right appliance that suits local conditions. We also have the
general rescue utility, a brand new vehicle for the State Emergency Service. It is very excited about that vehicle.
There are also flood rescue boats for rescuing people from floodwaters .
I was in Collie and Eaton recently. Collie has taken possession of one of those
flood rescue boats, giving it a bit of a trial in the local Collie River. They
may or may not have taken fishing equipment but they assured me it was a professional
test of the new vehicle's capacity! There is also a new light tanker
fire truck—a very fast and mobile firefighting vehicle—which is
getting rave reviews.
This new fleet has improved safety
features. It is all about listening to volunteer and career firefighters who
have to live and work with and operate these vehicles. They have had a big
input into the design. The majority of these vehicles
are being manufactured in our own backyard. They are being manufactured under a
$125 million investment in local emergency services manufacturing. All
the light tankers and the 4.4 Broad Acre tankers are manufactured by Frontline Fire and Rescue Equipment in Malaga
and Collie. Believe it or not, fire trucks will be hitting our streets with a ''Made in Collie'' stamp on the side. I am sure lots of
proud members and former members of Collie will be rejoicing in that. The McGowan government is creating local jobs while
delivering the next generation of emergency services vehicles as part of
the government's continued investment in emergency services to keep our
community safer. This is a great outcome for Collie; it is a great outcome for
emergency services and it is a great outcome for all of our state.
The SPEAKER : The Deputy
Leader of the Opposition with the last question.
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