NSW #FRNSW fire Cuts Cost Lives | #FBEU
Stop cuts to fire stations
The O’Farrell Liberal Government has imposed budget cuts which is seeing fire stations being closed and communities left with fewer firefighters. The FBEU is campaigning to stop these cuts, which put us all at risk.
Take action
- Write to your MP
- Report a station being closed
Cuts cost lives
The O’Farrell Government’s June Budget imposed across-the-board cuts to the public sector wages bill by 1.2%, with Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) being hit with a larger cut amounting to 1.75% – higher even than many clerical agencies.
FRNSW have confirmed that firefighters are not ‘frontline’ staff and FRNSW will have to make these cuts, despite Government announcements that ‘frontline’ staff will not be affected. In the case of FRNSW, O’Farrell requires employee-related expenses to be slashed by $7.6M in 2012/13, and by a cumulative $64M over the coming four years.
Public service funding a matter of life and death
Firefighters, like all public sector workers, need to know that our state government is committed to providing decent services for the people of NSW.
This is why the ‘Better State’ campaign led by Unions NSW is an important initiative in the lead up to the next state election.
Read more Cuts Cost Lives | FBEU.
It is what it is 
I’m appalled that the NSW State Government would even contemplate closing down fire stations. The increasing amount of high rise developments being built would alone justify more firefightersand fire stations being needed. The streets are more congested than ever due to the ever growing population. I work in the Sydney CBD and I’m amazed that any emergency vehicles manage to get to the incidents due to the traffic and the selfishness of some drivers in not pulling over for to the fire trucks pass. NSWF&R is like home and contents/life insurance – it’s good to have just in case and if you don’t have it, it’s a very costly exercise to replace what you’ve lost – and you can’t replace a life !!
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