Victoria’s firefighters are being failed by the very government that sends them into burning buildings.
Imagine running into a burning house to save someone’s family, only to discover your fire truck can’t pump water.
That’s not hypothetical. It’s already happened in Victoria.
In August, 62 Fire Rescue Victoria trucks were offline. Across the CFA, volunteers are dealing with ageing appliances, breakdowns and equipment failures. Firefighters have been injured doing a job that’s dangerous enough without unreliable equipment adding to the risks.
And the Victorian Government’s answer?
50 new fire trucks.
Sounds fantastic. Except by the time those trucks arrive, approximately another 87 trucks are expected to need replacing, according to the figures being raised.
That’s not catching up. That’s falling further behind.
Meanwhile, the firefighters themselves are still working under an enterprise agreement dating back to 2019.
Before COVID. Before inflation sent mortgages, groceries, fuel and electricity bills through the roof.
These are the people we expect to leave their own families and risk their lives to save ours. Yet they’re still fighting for a new agreement, fair wages and protections around safe staffing.
And now, instead of having this resolved, Emergency Services Minister Paul Edbrooke’s involvement in the Fair Work proceedings includes constitutional arguments over whether minimum staffing requirements can be imposed through arbitration.
Think about that.
Firefighters are fighting to protect staffing levels, while the government is arguing about whether those protections can legally be enforced.
On Monday, the firefighters’ union is planning to rally outside the new Minister’s electorate office in Frankston.
And frankly, their frustration isn’t difficult to understand.
We can find billions for major projects, consultants and cost overruns. But the people responsible for protecting Victorian lives and property are still fighting for reliable equipment, enough firefighters and an agreement that reflects the cost of living in 2026.
The trucks are breaking down. The fleet is ageing faster than it’s being replaced. The firefighters are being stretched. And the negotiations have dragged on for years.
When your house is on fire, nobody cares about constitutional arguments, budget forecasts or government press releases.
They just want the fire truck to arrive, enough firefighters to get off it, and water to come out of the hose.
That shouldn’t be too much to ask in Victoria in 2026
