Councils threatening to cut State Emergency Services (SES) funding for their local community needed to reassess their priorities, Harriet Shing, Member for Eastern Victoria Region, said today.

Baw Baw and Wellington Shire Councils have threatened to cut vital funding to local SES services, potentially putting local residents’ safety at risk.

Harriet Shing said that while the SES services operated state wide, they provided assistance to councils by undertaking community clean ups and assisting with the management of local trees.

Adding insult to injury, some councils have even tried to pin the cut on the Andrews Labor Government’s fair go rate cap.

Harriet Shing said that the Labor Government’s rates cap was about cutting waste, not cutting important jobs and services.

Quotes attributable to Harriet Shing

“Local SES members volunteer their time and themselves to make our community safer. They last thing they deserve is a cut to their funding.”

“Our fair go rate cap is not about cutting vital services like the SES – it’s about cutting over-the-top waste.”

“If local councils need to exceed the cap and they can justify their spending, they will be granted an exemption.”