Thursday 10 October 2013

Stumped!

I try not to be too political, but this one has got me stumped. I drove past the fire station the other day and saw a poster that read:
 
I was confused, as I'd not heard anything about this. I hit google, and there are some articles from when it started back in March and nothing more except a few tweets.

We don't have the funding for Firemen/stations, so they are just randomly shut for a day. Leichhardt was shut on both Friday and Tuesday of this week past. I am wondering how the government knows what days there will be no emergencies? Which are the Inner West fire free days?

I suspect there is a reason why the US shut down is not making HUGE news here. We've already started it. Quietly.

I ask, where is the information on this plan? More importantly, where is the outrage? When the teachers, police, nurses and firemen went on strike last year, was this one of the issues they were protesting over? The list of reasons was long, yet the only thing the media promoted was the inconvenience to parents with the teachers being on strike.

I, for one, need to question that we have decided that public safety isn't one of our top priorities? Perhaps our politicians could make less public appearances (at sporting events and community events - and weddings) and that funding could go to infrastructure that is needed by the people of this city.

It is FIRE & RESCUE, it is EMERGENCY services. These words seem to me, to imply it is a very important yet unpredictable event that requires the service to respond quickly.

Perhaps it is time for the voting public to take an interest in the allocation of government funding. Most of all, let's not sit in judgement of the mess the USA Congress is causing, as evidently, we are fast falling into the same boat.

Were you aware of these rolling closures? Are you horrified? Or am I blowing it out of proportion?

Linking up With Some Grace for FYBF.


15 comments:

  1. Yes, horrified. Is it limited to NSW?

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    1. Because it's state govt funding, I believe so, but I could find very little information on it...which alarms me more.

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  2. Yes, horrified at so many of the budget cuts in such crucial services.

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  3. My understanding is that when essential services go on strike, they will still respond to emergencies. But any fire is an emergency, when you think about it.

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    1. They're not on strike, They just shut a station here and there for a random day. Leichhardt and Balmain are both being closed alternatively (I guess - I hope). I'm sure there are others. There is no one in there to respond...

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  4. What I don't get is how the "powers that be" think it's OK to cut funding to essential services, then flaunt their availability to attend social events at the taxpayers' expense!
    How many events do we need to pay for at the expense of crucial services??
    You're not on your own with your thoughts Lydia.

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  5. I can vaguely remember something being said about it on 702. Seriously is the State Government so strapped for cash they can't keep fire stations open?
    Thanks for yet another thoughtful post.

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  6. Seriously? A fire stations shut for the day? Why not shut a hospital or the policestation as well? Obviously they are not necessary (insert sarcastic font)
    That's disgusting. So much needs to change

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    1. I believe some police stations are unmanned. But I'm not 100% sure on this...It needs to change. Our priorities are getting really skewed.

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  7. The same secrecy surrounded the budget cuts to special needs funding in education last year - very hard to find information when all the media seemed to concentrate on was the inconvenience to parents when teachers went on strike, for very valid reasons! It's unfortunately unsurprising that more cuts are being applied to essential services - nothing makes sense anymore...

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  8. OMG! I had no idea this was happening!! You'd usually hear this kind of stuff on ABC's 702 with Linda Motram all over it like a rash, but I've heard nothing! Absolutely crazy!

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  9. It's so wrong to target crucial services with budget cuts. I understand goverments have tough decisions to make, but this just seems crazy.

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  10. Last night I was talking with to someone who said the Vic govt wasn't funding Elvis (the water chopper) this year due to budget cuts. Given the fires & fatalities of the recent past, does that seem insane?

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  11. This is a bit ridiculous and no you are not going over the top - what I think is bad is that no one as told the general public what's going on?! Em

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