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19 October 2009

The Australian Workers' Union will be seeking urgent talks with the Queensland Government after its members reported poor resourcing and little support as they battled fires in National Parks, including around Rockhampton.

AWU organiser Troy Spence said rangers, represented by the AWU, heading to fight fires last week were advised to bring their own meals.

Rangers received a mobile phone text message asking to take food with them.

“When you’re rushing to fight a fire, the last thing you should need to worry about is bringing a cut lunch,” Mr Spence said.

Mr Spence said rangers were putting their own safety on the line to protect National Parks, life and property, yet the Department of Environment and Resource Management could not arrange for food and sustenance for their own staff.

“Our rangers are working shoulder to shoulder with firefighters to control fires threatening large areas of Queensland,” he said.

“They deserve praise for their efforts.  They deserve the full support of their Department to continue to do the work.”

“At the weekend, rangers – some of whom had been fighting fires for 14 consecutive hours - did receive cold drinks and some takeaway from Subway.”

Mr Spence said the Union wanted to discuss these and other concerns with DERM so lessons were learnt before the next blaze and certainly before the next fire season. The Union are due to meet Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones next week.