By Ann Marie Angebrandt
A LABOR Party commitment to a new State Emergency Service for Point Cook has shocked volunteers of neighbouring units who say its location is ill considered.
They say other areas without an SES unit warrant one more, especially Wyndham North.
The region receives about 150 annual calls for emergency assistance compared with the average four calls a year from Point Cook.
“It’s fair to say we were not consulted and we were shocked by the news,” said Laurie Russell, Werribee unit controller and a 23-year-member of the service.
The announcement represents the first time the State Government has dictated the location of an SES.
Traditionally, local councils provide buildings for SES headquarters based on consultation and demand.
Both the Werribee and Altona units fear they could lose some of their volunteers – about 33 at each unit – to the proposed service at Point Cook.
Tim Pallas, Labor’s candidate for Tarneit, said Labor possibly had used dated population projections when it decided on Point Cook.
“The commitment to Point Cook will be honoured and, perhaps further down the track, additional facilities will be built further north,” he said.
Mr Pallas said he was holding feasibility discussions about making the Werribee unit a central headquarters for the city, with any new units serving as out-stations.
