Firefighters are being used as a bargaining tool in a dispute between Corangamite Shire and the state government over funding the Mount Porndon fire tower, a CFA veteran says.
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Weerite’s Peter Hay said the tower at Mount Porndon, south-east of Camperdown, played a vital role in protecting the community.
Corangamite Shire decided to discontinue its contribution to the lookout in an effort to push back on state government cost shifting.
“Fancy council withdrawing $2000 from the Mount Porndon fire lookout, I’ve been a delegate to that for about 20 years,” Mr Hay told Tuesday night’s council meeting.
“I just wonder if the councillors here that made that decision to withdraw that funding knows what role Mount Porndon does?”
Mayor Jo Beard said she grew up around her local fire brigade and understood the importance of the Mount Porndorn lookout.
“I know not everyone agreed with it, but it was in relation to the kick-back. I said that I would do whatever I can to make sure that the state government are accountable for their assets,” she said of the decision.
“We are continuing on that argument with them (the state government) to get that tower funded the way that it should, just like every other fire tower across Victoria. Mount Porndon is the only tower where local government has to kick in the dollars.”
Mr Hay responded that firefighters were being used.
“So you’re really taking us on against the state government?” he said.
“You’re using us firefighters as a bargaining tool against the state government for funding.”
Cr Simon Illingworth said he could see both sides of the debate.
“I agree with you (Cr Beard) that it’s not good enough and the state government should be funding this, but I do not agree that we don’t fund it in the meantime,” he said.
“We cannot possibly use this as a pawn in some sort of political bulls--t game.”
Cr Beard said the fire tower would not be left unfunded.
“The money is there (with the CFA), just so everyone knows, the money is there. The fire tower will be manned, there is no way it will not be manned,” she said.