RFS LOCATION: 08 FEBRUARY 2017

Make the Rural Fire Service rural

Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party Member for Orange Philip Donato has called on Emergency Services Minister Troy Grant to ensure that the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) headquarters is relocated to a rural area, rather than a suburb of Sydney.

Currently the RFS is located in Carter Street, Lidcombe, and is slated to be relocated a short distance away to Murray Rose Avenue, Olympic Park.

“It’s time that we put the word ‘rural’ back into the Rural Fire Service and locate its headquarters in a country area,” Mr Donato said.

“As a Member of Parliament for a rural electorate, Minister Grant knows the expectations of country areas, so he must ensure that the Rural Fire Service is not based in Sydney.

“The NSW State Emergency Service already has a headquarters in Wollongong, and other Government departments have a long history of being moved outside Sydney — such as the NSW Firearms Registry and the NSW Department of Primary Industries in my own electorate.

“Naturally, I believe that the Central West would be an ideal location, be it Dubbo, Parkes, Forbes or Orange.

Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party MLC Robert Brown said that relocating the NSW Rural Fire Service to a rural location would be a boost for jobs in rural communities and reduce budget overheads for Government.

“Moving Government departments to rural communities would vastly improve opportunities for employment and access to services in the bush,” Mr Brown said.

“Not only that, with Sydney land and property prices at record high levels, I’m sure that the NSW Government could get a good deal more outside Sydney for the same price or lower.

“With modern technology there’s no need for the RFS to be in Sydney for resource coordination or liaison with other emergency management heads.”

Based on media release issued by Phil Donato’s office.