The Government can confirm that the CFA Chief Fire Officer Joe Buffone has tendered his resignation to the CFA.
Mr Buffone’s decision to resign was his and his alone.
Since becoming Minister for Emergency Services, I have both privately and publicly expressed my confidence in Mr Buffone.
Despite this, on Tuesday 28 June, Mr Buffone tendered his resignation to the CFA.
However, on Wednesday 29 June, Mr Buffone, through his lawyers, made an offer to the CFA to withdraw his resignation if the following terms were met:
- Equal status with the CEO within the CFA organisational structure
- Payment of a salary equal to the salary paid to the CEO
- An entitlement of 12-months’ salary at higher pay if he departed before the end of his contract for whatever reason
Mr Buffone’s lawyers gave the CFA a deadline of 5pm yesterday to meet these conditions and drew up proposed terms of settlement.
The CFA engaged lawyers to scrutinise the highly unusual nature of these demands.
The Government is disappointed by the circumstances surrounding Mr Buffone’s resignation.
It does not serve the best interests of CFA staff, or career and volunteer firefighters.
Reviewed 19 August 2020