By Bonny Burrows
Brad Battin has been awarded an additional portfolio as part of the Victorian Liberal Party’s shadow-cabinet shake-up.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy announced on 24 September that as part of a reshuffle, the Gembrook MP and Shadow Minister for Emergency Services will also take on the Shadow Building Industry portfolio.
“In addition to retaining Emergency Services, Brad Battin will take on the new portfolio of Building Industry which will give greater focus on both the regulation and development of Victoria’s building and construction industry,” Mr Guy said in a statement.
“Brad will continue in the role of Emergency Services, protecting those that protect us and keeping the CFA from being torn apart by Daniel Andrews.”
Mr Battin told the Gazette that he was excited about the opportunities ahead and was proud to remain as Shadow Minister for Emergency Services.
“I will be voicing our positive agenda that the Liberal Party will take to the 2018 state election and work to fix the mess Daniel Andrews created in the fire services,” Mr Battin said.
“The building industry is one of the largest employers in the south-east and Matthew Guy has now ensured this vital group have a voice in Parliament.
“The building industry is important not only to our local economy but supports many families with local tradies, small to large builders, and gives opportunities to young people for a career path.”
However, the State Labor Government has slammed the decision not to strip the local MP of his Emergency Services portfolio following remarks Mr Battin made regarding Black Saturday.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly on 10 May, Mr Battin stated: “When we go back to February 2009, the (emergency services’) minister should be able to tell us how many career firefighters were on the firefighting ground on 7 February for the first five and a half hours of Black Saturday.
“I can tell the House that it was zero.”
The incorrect statement, which Mr Battin has since apologised for, offended career firefighters across the state who did, in fact, turn out to the Black Saturday fires.
The slip-up saw the State Government call for his resignation.
In a statement following Sunday’s announced reshuffle, Roads Minister Luke Donnellan described Matthew Guy’s decision to retained Brad Battin in the Emergency Services portfolio as “further insult” to the situation.
“This reshuffle is a slap in the face to people in regional Victoria and to the thousands of hardworking firefighters who put their lives on the line to keep us safe,” Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said.
