A bitter war of words over Rosemeadow fire station has broken out between sitting Campbelltown MP Bryan Doyle and his challenger at the next state election Greg Warren.
In a press release headed “Rosemeadow Petition a Hoax’’ Mr Doyle accused Mr Warren, the ALP candidate, of not telling the truth over claims the fire station may be closed.
“I am extremely disappointed but not shocked that the Labor candidate for Campbelltown, Camden Greg, is continuing to peddle untruths in our local community regarding Rosemeadow Fire Station, alleging that it is closing due to budget cuts,” Mr Doyle said.
“The truth is that Rosemeadow fire station is not closing as Camden Greg claims in his hoax petition. If he lived here he would know that a crew from another fire station will always be brought in to cover the shift if a firefighter from Rosemeadow calls in sick, as was the case over the long weekend in October,” the Liberal MP said.
Mr Warren fired back by repeating the claims regarding Rosemeadow and other NSW fire stations.
“I’m disappointed by this desperate attack by Mr Doyle – he can’t acknowledge that for the last three and a half years his government has been putting community safety at risk by continuously closing fire stations,’’ Mr Warren said.
“Between March and July of last year, Rosemeadow Fire Station was closed 13 times for over 125 hours because of his Government’s cuts to staff and emergency services.
“That is a fact.
“On the eve of the 2015 election the NSW Liberals were forced to admit they had been putting our safety at risk when they announced they would hire more fire fighters.
“If Bryan Doyle and the Liberals can put our safety at risk for the past three and a half years, what’s stopping them from doing it for the next three and a half.
I’m fighting for better services, and I will hold him to account for putting safety at risk,’’ Mr Warren said.
Mr Doyle said that Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) are currently operating with a record budget of $665 million, “the largest budget in the organisation’s 130 year history, which shows this Liberal Government strong support for Fire and Rescue NSW.
“It is about time Camden Greg started telling Campbelltown locals the truth, one that he isn’t a local and two that the station isn’t closing and that FRNSW are operating with the largest budget to date,” Mr Doyle said.
“I am sick of Camden Greg playing politics and bagging our hardworking firefighters. Fire & Rescue NSW do an outstanding job for our community and have my full support.’’
