Firefighters have slammed a decision to honour a fire commissioner with a prestigious award, claiming the service has been plunged into "crisis" under his leadership.
Fire Rescue Victoria Commissioner Gavin Freeman is among a group of public officials to be bestowed a fellowship by the Institute of Public Administration Australia for excellence and creating "lasting public value".
But the state's firefighters union has condemned the decision, saying it was a contradiction to his record with the service in one of the "worst times" in its history.
"The fire service is in crisis and here is the government or the Institute of Public Administration giving Gavin Freeman an award for what? The fire service has never been as broken as it is now," United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marsha