By Bonny Burrows
Pressure is mounting for Gembrook MP Brad Battin to resign from his shadow emergency services portfolio, after an apology for his parliamentary on career firefighters at Black Saturday fires also proved incorrect.
During the Legislative Assembly’s question time on 10 May, Mr Battin wrongfully stated “when we go back to February 2009, the (emergency services’) minister should be able to tell us how many career firefighters were on the firefighting ground on 7 February for the first 5 1/2 hours of Black Saturday. I can tell the house that it was zero.”
Following the error, Mr Battin apologised for offending career firefighters across the state who did in fact turn out to the 2009 fires, telling the Gazette and other media outlets on 15 May he was only referring to the Bunyip State Ridge Fire but had mistakenly referred to Black Saturday as a whole.
However, this apology has further landed the local MP in hot water, with government and fire services calling him out on the fact that professional firefighters did battle the Bunyip blaze.
The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) Victorian Secretary Ben Davis on 18 May called for Mr Battin’s immediate sacking, after “systematic smears” against Forest firefighters who fought during one of the state’s darkest times.
“Forest Firefighters, many of whom live in his own electorate, were at the Bunyip fire not only on Black Saturday but in the days leading up to it,” Mr Davis said.
“Mr Battin displays his lack of understanding of his portfolio and the challenges faced by all firefighters with his absurd allegations.
“He needs to be shuffled out of the Shadow Ministry and he needs to get out there and apologise to the brave men and women he has smeared.”
The State Government slammed Mr Battin’s “completely false” claims, pointing to the Royal Commission into Black Saturday which revealed career firefighters from a number of agencies fought the Bunyip State Ridge Fire from when it broke out on 2 February 2009.
Emergency Services Minister James Merlino said the shadow minister had “slurred Black Saturday firefighters in Parliament and he has slurred them again”.
“This is disgraceful behaviour that denigrates our Black Saturday heroes and makes Brad Battin unfit to be the Shadow Emergency Services Minister,” Mr Merlino said.
“Matthew Guy has run out of excuses – he must show some backbone and sack him.”
Mr Battin said he had no plans to step down from his position and would continue to fight for the rights of all firefighters.
Speaking to the Gazette on 19 May, Mr Battin called out the Labor Government for its plans to split volunteer and career firefighters into separate fire services in a bid to resolve the ongoing enterprise bargaining agreement dispute.
“Today, the Andrews Labor Government has decided to tear the heart out of the CFA and show the ultimate disrespect to volunteers,” Mr Battin said.
“They have not consulted, and they are putting lives at risk.”
