A NSW firefighter says he was cut from the state’s Rural Fire Service after he was filmed berating PM Scott Morrison while fighting bushfires — a claim the RFS denies.
Paul Parker shot to prominence earlier in the year after a clip of him taking aim at the Prime Minister was widely viewed.
“Are you from the media?” Mr Parker asks in the video. “Go and tell the Prime Minister to go and get f—ed from Nelligen. We really enjoy doing this shit, f—head.”
Mr Parker said the tirade was his response to comments by Mr Morrison that volunteer firefighters shouldn’t be paid because “they enjoyed what they did” [source: smh.com.au]
On Sunday Mr Parker told The Project he was stood down because of the comments:
“The message I got was about time you brought the truck back because we were about to send the police to go look for you. And then there were further comments with gestures and arm movements saying that I’m finished. It’s all over.
“Another captain from another brigade within Batemans Bay came out and I asked him the question, I said: ‘What’s going on?’ He said: ‘You’re finished because of your allegations and foul language against the PM of the country while representing the RFS’.
“Didn’t know you could get sacked from a volunteer organisation but apparently you can.”
[Source: adelaidenow.com.au]
On Monday the NSW RFS tweeted that Paul “remains a member” and “has not been dismissed”.
The NSW RFS is aware of reports concerning the status of volunteer member Paul Parker from the Nelligen area.
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) February 16, 2020
We can confirm Paul remains a member of the NSW RFS and has not been dismissed. #NSWRFS
Earlier FIVEAA Breakfast’s David and Will said they were against Mr Parker’s removal.
WILL: “I don’t like what he said but the bloke was in the middle of fighting fires that were killing people… I reckon we’ve got to cut these blokes a little bit of slack.”
PENBO: “I think it’s a bloody disgrace. I think the bloke’s allowed to say what he likes… we’re meant to have freedom of speech in this country and I think people are allowed to exercise it in a sloppy fashion when they’re under intense pressure.”
