Victoria's emergency response hub staff numbers to be 'slashed', union says
Victoria's State Control Centre is facing significant staffing cuts, with plans to reduce full-time equivalent staff from 88 to 31. The Community and Public Sector Union has criticized these changes, arguing they undermine emergency preparedness reforms established after the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. Despite government assurances of maintaining a 24/7 operation, concerns remain about the impact of reduced staffing on disaster response effectiveness.
- ▪The proposed restructure will cut staffing at the State Control Centre by almost two-thirds.
- ▪Emergency Management Victoria claims the centre will still operate 24/7 despite the staffing changes.
- ▪The CPSU argues that the cuts roll back important reforms aimed at improving emergency readiness.
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CPSU slams proposed staff cuts at Victoria's State Control CentreBy Alex SinnottTopic:Disaster and Emergency ResponseWed 20 May 2026 at 9:50amWed 20 May 2026 at 9:50amWed 20 May 2026 at 9:50amAbout 54 homes were destroyed in the bushfire in Harcourt earlier this year. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)In short:Victoria's State Control Centre is to shed around two thirds of its full-time equivalent staff, according to the Community and Public Sector Union.The union claims the proposed staffing changes roll back reforms triggered by the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.What's next?Emergency Management Victoria said the control centre would continue to be staffed 24/7 under the proposed restructure.abc.net.au/news/victoria-state-control-centre-restructure-alarms-cpsu/106696306Link…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).