Anger over CFS chief’s lunch
Anger over CFS chief’s lunch
7 February 2008
published by www.news.com.au
Australia — CFS chief officer Euan Ferguson had lunch with two Labor MPs instead of attending the first meeting of a working party into the Black Tuesday bushfires.
Mr Ferguson had lunch with Labor minister Patrick Conlon and backbencher Leon Bignell at a Gouger St restaurant when the first meeting of the Wangary Working Party was held.
Mr Ferguson’s decision to accept Mr Conlon’s lunch invitation last month has angered families of victims.
Ben Griffith, who lost his mother, niece and nephew in the fires, said it was “unbelievable” Mr Ferguson “hasn’t made the effort” to attend the meeting. “It is just not good enough,” he said.
Mr Ferguson said the purpose of the lunch on January 7, organised and paid for by Mr Conlon, was to “talk about a number of aspects of the CFS, the experience we went through and provide me with some personal support”.
At the time of the January 2005 bushfires, Mr Conlon was emergency services minister and played a major part in the Government’s response, while Mr Bignell was then Mr Conlon’s media adviser.
The working party was established by Emergency Services Minister Carmel Zollo after critical findings relating to the management of the fires were handed down in December by deputy state coroner Anthony Schapel.
Nine people died in the fires on the Lower Eyre Peninsula in January, 2005.
Mr Schapel criticised the CFS for inadequately attempting to contain the fire on the night before it burned out of control and for failing to alert residents about risks. The findings resulted in calls for Mr Ferguson to resign.
Mr Ferguson yesterday said his decision to attend the lunch “in no way diminishes the full support and commitment of the CFS” to the working party, which is examining issues raised in the coroner’s recommendations.
CFS deputy chief officer Andrew Lawson attended the first meeting and Mr Ferguson attended subsequent meetings.
But Opposition emergency services spokesman Stephen Wade said: “I am sure that the families of the victims would be disappointed the chief officer and the minister at the time of the fires gave priority to lunch.”
Mr Conlon said he had “issues to discuss” over the lunch.
‘Anger over CFS lunch
COUNTRY Fire Service chief officer Euan Ferguson had lunch with two Labor MPs instead of attending the first meeting of a working party into the Black Tuesday bushfires.
Mr Ferguson had lunch with Labor minister Patrick Conlon and backbencher Leon Bignell at a Gouger St restaurant when the first meeting of the Wangary Working Party was held.
Mr Ferguson’s decision to accept Mr Conlon’s lunch invitation last month has angered families of victims.
Ben Griffith, who lost his mother, niece and nephew in the fires, said it was “unbelievable” Mr Ferguson “hasn’t made the effort” to attend the meeting. “It is just not good enough,” he said.
Mr Ferguson said the purpose of the lunch on January 7, organised and paid for by Mr Conlon, was to “talk about a number of aspects of the CFS, the experience we went through and provide me with some personal support”.
At the time of the January 2005 bushfires, Mr Conlon was emergency services minister and played a major part in the Government’s response, while Mr Bignell was then Mr Conlon’s media adviser.
The working party was established by Emergency Services Minister Carmel Zollo after critical findings relating to the management of the fires were handed down in December by deputy state coroner Anthony Schapel.
Nine people died in the fires on the Lower Eyre Peninsula in January, 2005.
Mr Schapel criticised the CFS for inadequately attempting to contain the fire on the night before it burned out of control and for failing to alert residents about risks. The findings resulted in calls for Mr Ferguson to resign.
Mr Ferguson yesterday said his decision to attend the lunch “in no way diminishes the full support and commitment of the CFS” to the working party, which is examining issues raised in the coroner’s recommendations.
CFS deputy chief officer Andrew Lawson attended the first meeting and Mr Ferguson attended subsequent meetings.
But Opposition emergency services spokesman Stephen Wade said: “I am sure that the families of the victims would be disappointed the chief officer and the minister at the time of the fires gave priority to lunch.”
Mr Conlon said he had “issues to discuss” over the lunch.
