Three hundred firefighters gathered in Treasury Gardens on December 12 and marched to Parliament House to protest against inadequate staffing levels.
United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall said the former ALP government had promised to employ 342 extra firefighters and had allocated money for this purpose. However, the Coalition government has failed to implement the planned increase.
Marshall said that this puts community safety at risk. He said that the bushfires royal commission showed the need for more firefighters.
The demonstrators placed 342 helmets on the steps of Parliament House to symbolise the 342 extra firefighters that were promised but not delivered.
Photos of the action can be seen here.