Kalamunda claims Labor, DFES has ignored pleas for Pickering Brook fire station as Libs commit $5m for build

Labor and DFES have ignored Kalamunda council’s pleas for a new fire brigade station based in Pickering Brook, local mayor Margaret Thomas believes. Speaking at a Liberal funding announcement of $5 million to build the station, Ms Thomas spoke about the 15 minute travel time from the existing Kalamunda volunteer bush fire brigade — which shares a building with the Pickering Brook firefighters. Under the proposal, a Liberal State Government would fund the build of the station at the George Spriggs Reserve — a site identified by the city. “We feel that DFES should be funding this. For a place that’s so close to the to the bush, to the forest, to only have one fire station, we don’t feel we are being treated fairly,” Ms Thomas said. “It’s something that the people of Pickering Brook have been trying to get for many years. “We have a lot of houses out there, but we also have a lot of tourist ventures out there, so we really want our people to be safe.” Liberal leader Libby Mettam said the new build would relieve pressure on bushfire fighting resources in Kalamunda. “Our Kalamunda volunteer bush fire brigade service do an outstanding job, but they are incredibly stretched,” she said. “We’ve seen already with this summer’s bush fire season, the severity of fire and the impact that it can have on the local community. “We have outstanding volunteers on the ground, but they are being let down by a lack of infrastructure and resources.” Liberal candidate for Kalamunda Adam Hort said the community were fearful of this year’s fire season. “Access to emergency services (is an issue),” Mr Hort said. “When someone calls like I said earlier, knowing that the police are going to be able to attend, they’re going to have the resources they need to attend, (and) knowing that the firies are going to have the resources they require — it’s coming up as a concern time and time again.” A WA Labor spokesman said: “The Cook Labor Government is committed to working with the City of Kalamunda to deliver a future Pickering Brook Bushfire Brigade.” The seat of Kalamunda, which stretches as far east as Chidlow and The Lakes, is set to be a key fight for the Liberals at the March State election. Held by the Liberals since 2008, Labor incumbent Matthew Hughes won the seat in 2017, and was comfortably re-elected in the 2021 landslide on a margin of 11.8 per cent. Mr Hughes announced his retirement from politics last year, as was replaced as Labor candidate by Mundaring councillor Karen Beale.