Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

():  Recently, I spent a day in the life of a firefighter at Fire Rescue Victoria's training facility on Wurundjeri country. They say not all heroes wear capes, but now I know they wear fire-resistant PPE. Firefighters do so much more than fight fires; they are often the first responders in medical emergencies, giving lifesaving CPR while waiting for our overstretched paramedics to arrive. They are technical experts who can rescue you from a flood or a car wreckage, from up high or deep in a trench. It is the incarcerated firefighters who, most recently, risked their lives for $1 an hour to save LA from its apocalyptic wildfires. They are on the front line of the climate crisis, where they are at this very moment fighting devastating bushfires in Victoria and Tasmania, and assisting with swift water rescues in Queensland.

The climate crisis is here and it's driving more frequent and severe disasters, like these bushfires and floods. It is our firefighters, whether paid, volunteer or incarcerated, who put their bodies and health on the line to protect community and country. Prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals through their work means that frontline firefighters experience higher rates of cancer and other diseases and are often forced to retire early. Despite all of the above, our Victorian firefighters haven't had a wage increase in five years, and the Victorian government is refusing to come to the table to negotiate a fair deal. Enough is enough. It's time for Victorian Labor to support our firies and pay them what they're worth.