Paul Parker was the star of a Channel 7 News clip that went viral just a couple of days into the New Year. Parker appeared on Channel 10’s The Project, where he revealed he’d been dumped by the RFS.
The original video captured Parker – a volunteer with the NSW RFS – voicing his immense frustration at the Morrison government’s woeful handling of the ongoing national emergency.
“Tell the Prime Minister to go and get fucked from Nelligen,” said Parker. “We really enjoy doing this shit, fuckhead.”
Parker was referencing the PM’s suggestion that volunteer firefighters “want to be there.” Morrison made this claim in early December while rejecting calls to boost funding for the volunteer services.
“The fact is these crews, yes, they’re tired, but they also want to be out there defending their communities,” he said.
Watch: PM pressured to compensate volunteer firefighters
Parker didn’t like this, but he wasn’t the only volunteer who called out the PM in the clip. One of his associates urged the PM to “stand down now.”
“You don’t deserve to govern,” she said. “You knew this was coming. It’s been coming for a few years, you’ve been totally ignorant of it, and now we’re wearing your problems.”
But Parker was the real star, in particular for his closing remarks, which invited the PM to come and meet him.
“Paul Parker from Nelligen – meet you any day pal,” he said, angrily pointing at the camera. Earlier in the clip Parker was seen sprawled out on the side of the road, utterly exhausted. “I’ve lost seven houses already in Nelligen and I’m not going to lose any more you fuckhead,” he said.
Watch: Paul Parker’s message to Scott Morrison
Parker now says the outburst landed him in hot water with the RFS. “[They] said, ‘you’re finished because of your allegations and foul language against the Prime Minister of the country while representing the RFS,’” Parker told The Project. “I didn’t know you could get sacked from a volunteer organisation, but apparently you can.”
Remember the guy that told the PM to go get F****d? We spoke to the man himself, Paul Parker to hear what got him so fired up that day. pic.twitter.com/DtJx4uB4KQ
— The Project (@theprojecttv) February 16, 2020
However, the RFS tweeted a rebuttal, claiming Parker hasn’t been sacked. “The NSW RFS is aware of reports concerning the status of volunteer member Paul Parker from the Nelligen area,” they wrote. “We can confirm Paul remains a member of the NSW RFS and has not been dismissed.”
Whatever the case, we stand with Paul Parker.
