By Olivia Condous
A new redress scheme will provide support to those affected by toxic chemical contamination at the former CFA Fiskville Training College.
The $57 million scheme from the Victorian government will provide payments to people who worked, trained or lived at the site near Ballan between 1972 and 2015.
The site was the main training ground for the CFA up until 2015, when it was closed by the state government following the discovery of chemical residues used in firefighting water tanks.
The redress scheme will assess applications on a case-by-case basis and consider the extent of exposure and the seriousness of illness associated with the kinds of exposure experienced.
A Monash University report in 2014 concluded that those who had spent a high amount of time at the site had higher than expected cancer rates compared to the general Victorian population.
The scheme will also provide mental health and medical support to participants, as well as legal support.
A Victorian parliamentary enquiry into the management of the site in 2016 found that some senior CFA officials knew the training site was contaminated but still continued to send staff to train there.
A statement released on August 26 from CFA chair Greg Wilson, chief executive Natalie MacDonald and chief officer Jason Heffernan, acknowledged the “significant issues” of the past in relation to the management of the facility.
“CFA is deeply sorry for any potential harm to volunteers and staff and other attendees at the time and the many people from the local community who supported CFA at this important site near Ballan,” the statement said.
The statement included that the CFA welcomed the introduction of the new redress scheme.
“While we cannot change what happened in the past, there have been profound lessons at CFA from this experience and we are not the same organisation we were at that time.”
“What occurred at Fiskville can never happen again, we will always work to ensure our members and our community are protected and safe.”
Applications for the redress scheme will open on September 5.
Details: www.vic.gov.au/fiskville-redress-scheme
