20 July 2026
The United Firefighters Union rejects Commissioner Freeman’s letter of 20 July 2026 in its entirety.
90.85% of the FRV workforce has voted no confidence in Commissioner Freeman — and they have done so for very good reason.
That verdict is not harassment. It is the democratic judgement of the firefighters and staff who keep this state safe, delivered against a record of failure the Commissioner has never answered: appliances out of service across the network, stations promised to communities and never built, safety-critical equipment and technology that firefighters have repeatedly raised, an enterprise agreement still unsettled, and millions of dollars directed to lawyers rather than to the fireground.
The Commissioner is a public official. Scrutiny of his performance — by his workforce, by their union, and by the public — is legitimate, it is protected, and it will continue.
What is not legitimate is the attempt in this letter to weaponise the Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 to shield an executive from criticism. Those regulations exist to protect firefighters and staff. It is a serious misuse of them to invoke a workforce-protection duty as a means of silencing the very workforce it is meant to protect.
The UFU will not be intimidated, and we will not stop advocating for our members and for the safety of the Victorian community. If the Commissioner wishes to restore confidence, the path is clear: fix the failures, settle the agreement, and lead.
Authorised by Peter Marshall, Branch Secretary, United Firefighters Union of Australia.