The chief executive of the Country Fire Authority has resigned after little more than a year in the top job to take up a senior role inside the government.
Paul Smith who became fire chief in February last year – and was the fifth person to hold the role in four years – will become chief adviser on climate change and industry transition in the Andrews government’s new Department for Jobs, Precincts and Regions.
The board of the CFA said in a statement it was “disappointed to be losing someone of Paul’s calibre and experience but we understand his desire to undertake a transformational project for Victorian industry given his experience in climate change policy”.
Twenty-three former firefighting chiefs from across Australia issued an alarm call last week that climate change was increasing the threat of catastrophic bushfires, extending bushfire seasons and that governments were not investing heavily enough in the area.