Politics & Council
25 May, 2024
Brigade’s wait for new station now into 2025
A FIRE brigade in Premier Jacinta Allan’s electorate will be waiting at least another year for its promised new station. Money for the new Serpentine station was promised in the 2021 State Budget but the Government this week said a head contractor...
A FIRE brigade in Premier Jacinta Allan’s electorate will be waiting at least another year for its promised new station.
Money for the new Serpentine station was promised in the 2021 State Budget but the Government this week said a head contractor would not been appointed until later this year.
The Government has not confirmed when work will start building the station in Ms Allan’s Bendigo East electorate.
The latest delay to the project comes as the Opposition claimed the Government had delayed 83 per cent of existing CFA capital projects
Shadow minister for emergency services Richard Riordon said the Budget was a disaster for Victorians and the CFA.
“Regional Victorians are being slugged with massive increases to the Fire Services Levy with nothing in this budget for the CFA that will ensure new trucks and equipment are delivered.”
Serpentine brigade members were in talks again in the past week with the CFA about plans for the station to replace its current tin shed that does not have a meeting room or amenities.
The Government said on Monday the Community Safety Building Authority was progressing the design of the new station in collaboration with the CFA and Serpentine brigade members.
A spokesperson said: “We’re ensuring our emergency services have modern, safe, and fit-for-purpose facilities to support our dedicated volunteers in their service to the community, with more than $22 million in funding.
“We are continuing to work with the Country Fire Authority to support the development of the Serpentine fire station so that it meets the needs of local volunteers.”
In March, Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes said delays building the new station had been resolved.
Speaking to the Loddon Herald in Newbridge, Ms Symes said that issues with underground power and connections had held up what was required to start work on the project announced in the State Budget three years ago.
“We have a dedicated unit within the Justice Department ... that will co-ordinate that build, so we should see some movement in due course,” the minister said.
“Serpentine has been given the go-ahead and that is being progressed through the agency and I reckon I will have more to say ...
“I have literally come out of a meeting that revisited the funding envelope for that development.”
A Government spokesperson last year said: “The Victorian Government is continuing work to deliver a new and improved Serpentine fire station. Land acquisition was finalised in late 2022, with planning and design activities due to commence shortly,” the spokesperson said.