CODE 2, VOL 37, NO 14 : 22 September 2023

ALL 5 DAY STATIONS TRANSITIONING TO 7 DAY STATIONS

I am pleased that after almost two years of positive discussions with the state government and QFES, decisions on an expanded range of uses for the increase in firefighter numbers can start to be reported to you and your colleagues. There will be a series of Code 2’s providing specific detail on how the new numbers are being, and will be, used.

The first of these is that all existing 5-day crewed stations, being  -
1. Port Douglas
2. Emerald
3. Kingaroy
4. Coolum
5. Highfields
will either transition to, or open as, 7-day crewed stations by mid-2025. Individual station transition timing is still being finalised and your union will communicate with crews at the stations as the final dates are confirmed.

This change comes on the back of significant feedback and input from members about the crewing challenges faced in all locations due to the 5 x 8 roster being unpopular.  Once this transition is complete, it is your union’s position that there will only ever be 7-day crewed or 10/14 crewed stations opened in Queensland from that day forward. A plan for new and expanded stations for the period 2024 – 2028 and then for 2028 – 2032 is currently being developed by the UFUQ state office, with input from Branches and locations across the state.

As I mentioned, there’s more good news to come and a series of Code 2’s will set out all the positive steps forward your union is achieving through the increase in firefighter numbers, which were obtained by your union through lobbying the state government.

John Oliver - General Secretary