Latest news with #Victorians
Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Leaked briefing lays bare critical failures in Victoria's firefighting fleet as executives warn ageing trucks are jeopardising public safety
A confidential internal report has exposed major failings in Victoria's firefighting capability, with Fire Rescue Victoria's (FRV) top brass acknowledging widespread deficiencies in truck availability and a looming shortfall in critical equipment. The documents, leaked to the Herald Sun, indicate that more than 130 firefighting appliances are set to exceed their 15-year service threshold, even as the government commits $10 million towards upgrades, a figure insiders say barely scratches the surface. The report, presented to FRV's executive leadership team last month, outlined alarming issues including increased mechanical failures, soaring maintenance downtime, and an inability to meet essential replacement targets. Fewer than half of the 144 vehicles due to be phased out over the next five years are expected to be replaced under current plans. Fire chiefs explicitly warned of 'significant deficiencies' in the availability of working trucks, casting fresh doubt on Victoria's capacity to respond to future fire emergencies. United Firefighters Union Secretary Peter Marshall did not hold back, saying the leaked documents demonstrate a clear knowledge among leadership of the dangers facing both emergency responders and the public. 'Firefighters are putting their lives on the line to protect the public every single day,' Mr Marshall said. 'They are doing it in ancient, unsafe trucks that should not be on the road. They are a danger to public safety and firefighter safety. 'For years, Commissioner Gavin Freeman and his executive leadership team have been claiming that there is no danger but this document shows that there is a danger, that they know there is a danger, and that they have been misleading the public and firefighters about it. 'Firefighters and emergency services workers have lost confidence in their leadership and they must resign. 'If they do not resign they should be removed from their position so the fire service can be led by someone that firefighters and the Victorians they protect can have confidence in.' Among the most urgent concerns raised is a lack of aerial trucks, used to combat fires from above, which are already in short supply. Shortfalls in the more commonly used pumper trucks are now also emerging. The briefing calls for immediate capital investment in modern vehicles, a ramp-up in maintenance capacity, and the use of more robust, defendable data to better forecast the fleet's performance and reliability into the future. Despite the growing backlash, FRV Commissioner Gavin Freeman has maintained a defensive stance. In a public statement issued earlier this year, he attempted to downplay the concerns surrounding vehicle age. 'Victorians should know that fire trucks do not expire simply because they reach a certain age,' he said at the time. 'These appliances are specially built and can remain in service for long periods, depending on their usage and workload. 'While FRV has more than 200 fire trucks in operation, I want to assure Victorians of the investment being made to upgrade our firefighting fleet right across Victoria.' Commissioner Freeman also cited the lengthy procurement process involved in fleet renewal, noting that it can take as long as two years to deliver a single new fire truck due to the specialised nature of the equipment. A spokesperson for FRV has confirmed that an independent review is underway, aimed at assessing the condition of the current fleet and the agency's broader maintenance framework. 'FRV is proactively planning for the future and has made strong progress in updating our fleet and embracing new technology and innovation,' the spokesperson said. 'Victorians should rest assured they will always be protected in an emergency.'
9 hours ago
Police arrest suspect in Melbourne synagogue arson attack
MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australian police say they have arrested one of three men they suspect are responsible for an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue that marked a major escalation in antisemitic violence across the nation. A 21-year-old Melbourne man was arrested at a house on Wednesday on suspicion that he had set fire to the Adass Israel Synagogue in December, Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam said. The predawn attack destroyed the synagogue and left a worshipper with minor burns. The arrest is a major breakthrough for investigators in the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team that is treating the attack as politically motivated. The team involves Victoria state and federal police as well as Australia's main domestic spy agency. More than 220 law enforcement officers have devoted more than 50,000 hours to the investigation. The suspect, who has not been named, was being questioned on Wednesday about offenses including arson, conduct endangering life and car theft, Steendam said. An arson conviction carries a potential maximum of 15 years in prison, while the other two offenses are each punishable by 10 years imprisonment. The suspect has yet to be charged. 'This investigation remains ongoing and we anticipate there'll be further arrests,' Steendam told reporters. 'I want to reassure Victorians, particularly those in the Jewish community, that we remain relentless in our pursuit in finding all those responsible for this crime and holding them to account,' she added. Police suspect offshore criminals had worked with associates in Victoria to orchestrate the attack, Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett said. 'The motivation is still being assessed,' Barrett said. 'We are … working closely with our Five Eyes partners and international partners to ensure our collective powers and capabilities are drawn upon to help bring those responsible to justice,' she added. Five Eyes is an intelligence-sharing partnership that includes Australia, the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand. Barrett declined to say who the offshore suspects were or identify the countries they were operating in. Two weeks ago, a 20-year-old man was charged with stealing the car used in the synagogue attack. But that suspect has not been accused of being one of the masked men who used brooms to spread a liquid accelerant across the floor of the synagogue before igniting it. A wave of antisemitic attacks has roiled Australia since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel triggered the war in Gaza. The synagogue attack is the only incident that has been classified as an act of terrorism, a designation that increases the resources available to the investigation. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke welcomed the arrest in connection with what he described as a 'hate crime.' Burke noted that his government had promised 30 million Australian dollars ($20 million) to rebuild the synagogue. 'This arrest cannot undo the pain and fear that it (arson) caused, but it does send the strongest message that this kind of hate and violence has no place in Australia,' Burke told Parliament. 'This attack was not simply an attack on Jewish Australians An attack on a synagogue is an attack on Australia and is treated as such,' he added. Daniel Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the main advocate for the nation's Jewish community, hoped more arrests would be made and that the masterminds of the crime would be quickly brought to justice. 'Only then will a deterrent be established against this sort of chilling behavior,' Aghion said.
Winnipeg Free Press
13 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Police arrest suspect in Melbourne synagogue arson attack
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian police say they have arrested one of three men they suspect are responsible for an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue that marked a major escalation in antisemitic violence across the nation. A 21-year-old Melbourne man was arrested at a house on Wednesday on suspicion that he had set fire to the Adass Israel Synagogue in December, Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam said. The predawn attack destroyed the synagogue and left a worshipper with minor burns. The arrest is a major breakthrough for investigators in the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team that is treating the attack as politically motivated. The team involves Victoria state and federal police as well as Australia's main domestic spy agency. More than 220 law enforcement officers have devoted more than 50,000 hours to the investigation. The suspect, who has not been named, was being questioned on Wednesday about offenses including arson, conduct endangering life and car theft, Steendam said. An arson conviction carries a potential maximum of 15 years in prison, while the other two offenses are each punishable by 10 years imprisonment. The suspect has yet to be charged. 'This investigation remains ongoing and we anticipate there'll be further arrests,' Steendam told reporters. 'I want to reassure Victorians, particularly those in the Jewish community, that we remain relentless in our pursuit in finding all those responsible for this crime and holding them to account,' she added. Police suspect international criminal links Police suspect offshore criminals had worked with associates in Victoria to orchestrate the attack, Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett said. 'The motivation is still being assessed,' Barrett said. 'We are … working closely with our Five Eyes partners and international partners to ensure our collective powers and capabilities are drawn upon to help bring those responsible to justice,' she added. Five Eyes is an intelligence-sharing partnership that includes Australia, the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand. Barrett declined to say who the offshore suspects were or identify the countries they were operating in. Two weeks ago, a 20-year-old man was charged with stealing the car used in the synagogue attack. But that suspect has not been accused of being one of the masked men who used brooms to spread a liquid accelerant across the floor of the synagogue before igniting it. A wave of antisemitic attacks has roiled Australia since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel triggered the war in Gaza. The synagogue attack is the only incident that has been classified as an act of terrorism, a designation that increases the resources available to the investigation. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke welcomed the arrest in connection with what he described as a 'hate crime.' Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. Burke noted that his government had promised 30 million Australian dollars ($20 million) to rebuild the synagogue. 'This arrest cannot undo the pain and fear that it (arson) caused, but it does send the strongest message that this kind of hate and violence has no place in Australia,' Burke told Parliament. 'This attack was not simply an attack on Jewish Australians An attack on a synagogue is an attack on Australia and is treated as such,' he added. Daniel Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the main advocate for the nation's Jewish community, hoped more arrests would be made and that the masterminds of the crime would be quickly brought to justice. 'Only then will a deterrent be established against this sort of chilling behavior,' Aghion said.
Canberra Times
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Canberra Times
Synagogue firebomb suspects from home and away
"I want to reassure Victorians, particularly those in the Jewish community, that we remain relentless in our pursuit in finding all those responsible for this crime and holding them to account," Deputy Commissioner Steendam said.
The Age
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Daniel Andrews' signature phrase travels to the Motherland
If there were an award for attracting haters, former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews would be nominated each year – the M eryl Streep of Spring Street. Andrews, formerly known as 'Dictator Dan' to some, continues to live rent-free in critics' heads. CBD can report that Andrews' international influence continues unabated. First, there was a candidate for the 2024 Napoli elections who looked like him. And recently, Andrews was spotted living it up in New York. Now, eagle-eyed international readers have sent through pages of the UK's Private Eye magazine which show a phrase familiar to most Victorians is flourishing in Keir Starmer 's England. Back when Andrews was in charge, everything from signing a new Belt and Road deal with China, to banning fracking and locking down the community during COVID outbreaks was 'the right thing to do'. It was a signature line for a dominant government. It seems Starmer and his Labour gang, who have lost their election glow, are singing from the same songbook. 'Amid the chaos, it's just as well that Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, Britain's two most powerful politicians, both know the right thing to do...' Private Eye reported, sarcasm detected. The rag then details six occasions since April when Starmer and Reeves, who is Chancellor of the Exchequer, have labelled their political decisions the right thing to do. It was long rumoured after his exit from Victorian politics that Andrews would move to New York. But maybe the UK – which has loved Melburnians Kylie Minogue and Dame Edna – might be more his political speed?
