Questions asked about Bingara Fire Station

MARSHALL QUESTIONS MINISTER ON FUTURE OF BINGARA FIRE STATION

“I’m seeking a formal and written assurance from the Minister that the new government has no plans to close the Bingara Fire Station,” Mr Marshall said. “While a move to close it was defeated earlier this year, Gwydir Shire Council and many in the Bingara community are concerned that with a new government and a new Minister, Fire & Rescue NSW might try once more to withdraw its coverage and services. Under no circumstances can a closure of the station be allowed.”

Mr Marshall has also asked the Minister when Fire & Rescue NSW will commence a community wide recruitment campaign for retained firefighters to staff the fire station. “I have heard from a number of locals who in the last six months have approached Fire & Rescue NSW to sign up and train as a retained firefighter to staff the Bingara station, only to be told they are currently not recruiting,” Mr Marshall said. “The community not only wants the Fire & Rescue NSW pencil pushers and bean counters from Sydney keep their hands off Bingara Fire Station, they want a comprehensive recruitment campaign to begin so we can once more have local firefighters on duty at the station. Gwydir Shire Council, the local community and I are in lockstep on this one – we’ll never allow the station to close and services to be withdrawn from the community. Bingara may be small but lives out here are just as important as ones in the big city and just as deserving of adequate fire protection. The community and I will be watching Fire & Rescue’s actions closely as we now eagerly await the Minister’s formal reply.”

The Minister for Emergency Services now has 35 calendar days respond in writing to the Parliament to Mr Marshall’s question.