Coalition minister break ranks with government to call for volunteer firefighters to be paid

Darren Chester says he believes there should be payment for ‘one-off events’ or fire levy

The call to pay volunteer firefighters facing extreme, prolonged events such as the current bushfire emergency is getting louder, with a Morrison government minister breaking ranks to call for changes.

The veterans’ affairs minister, Darren Chester, said he had been talking to his Victorian electorate about a payment model for “one-off” events, floating the idea of a fire levy, with evidence continuing to point to longer and worse bushfire seasons as a new normal.

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from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2QmpMib