I can completely understand where they're coming from,
trying to encourage more women into the job,
because it's really important having women in the job
to create diversity.
I think that there will be some backlash.
I think it's going to put a lot of stress onto these young women.
The only thing that's gonna taint people's opinion of women in the job
is how the women approach the job.
If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, you know,
I think men will be very accepting.
My name is Genevieve Holden and I am ranked as a fire fighter,
so I just graduated in mid-December last year,
and I am at City of Sydney Fire Station.
Oh, you're doing a good job, Gav.
We, you know, we have fun and that sort of thing at the station
but as soon as those alarms go off
we go into job mode and you switch on.
I think...
Oh, no. Sorry... I just have to find out where that is.
The most common calls that we get are automatic fire alarms.
floodings, we assist ambulance
if any pedestrians have been hit
or involved in a motor vehicle accident,
and, of course, structure fires.
All good, all clear...
Myself and the rest of the crew,
we did a walk through the building just to double check
and make sure everything's all clear.
And it's all clear.
As a female firefighter, Genevieve is a bit of a trailblazer.
Although women in NSW have been able to work as firefighters since 1985,
they are still very much a minority.
Across Australia, women make up only a small number of total firefighters.
In Genevieve's home state of NSW,
only 5% of firefighters are women.
But that number is likely to soon increase.
Applicants are now split into male and female streams
and an equal number of the highest scoring men and women are chosen.
So our class was the first 50/50 class, male and female.
12 were women, 12 were men.
It's opened the door for women who may not have ranked high enough
under the old recruitment process, to now get in.
The first time that I went for the firies
was back in 2009 and I was about 20.
I wasn't successful and I purely think it was
because I didn't have much life experience.
For a very long time I've wanted to be a firefighter.
Probably growing up, I didn't actually think that it was a job
that women did, really.
- Hello. - Hello, darling, how are you?
- Good. How are you? - Good.
This is the helmet that we got Genevieve when she was three.
Be careful what you give little ones when they're very young
because she ended up being a firegirl.
Back in 2012 my father passed away from brain tumours.
I put the firies on hold for a little bit.
I think I was probably just not, maybe, emotionally ready.
I think that her dad's death has, you know, been very hard for her.
I actually think it made her a more stronger person
and a more compassionate person.
The burning desire to become a firie just came back
and I just thought nah, I have to do it.
Oh my gosh...
When I found out I'd got in I was just so excited,
I couldn't believe it!
I am 3 on the Runner, which is very exciting for me
because I love the action,
so Flyer and Runner tend to go out the most.
I think once they see more girls in the job
and that it's going well and if they speak to people like Genevieve
then they'll see that it's good
and it's not, it hasn't got that boys' club tag any more
and they'll hopefully join.
But Fire and Rescue NSW is having a hard time
shaking off its "boys' club" reputation.
A review in 2010 found that:
Despite the damning report the culture didn't really change.
It prompted the then Commissioner to put all staff on notice
and send this email in 2014.
A year later an independent inquiry was launched
after more than a dozen firefighters
made public their allegations of harassment and bullying.
Among them were women
who made the following allegations of sexual harassment.
The inquiry also found that:
And just this year a top NSW fire official
was charged with raping a young female firefighter
after a Christmas party.
He is currently awaiting trial.
I'm a fifth generation firefighter with Melbourne.
I have been in the organisation for 12 years
and I've grown up around it with my father being in the job.
and I believe that it's not out of reach for women.
Yet, despite this, Rachel was actually against gender quotas
similar to that of NSW being introduced
in her home state of Victoria.
She and her fellow female union members protested the move
and were part of a legal bid to stop it.
It really, you know, upset a lot of us
and we were hoping for some positive change.
It made me feel that, I guess,
nervous for the future girls of our organisation.
because if we've all got in on our own merit,
they're going to say "Did you get in on the one that was a bit easier?
"Or did you get in with all the guys?"
Well, I think that if you're in a male-dominated job
there is some barriers that we're already trying to change
and to create equality already,
this is something else we don't need on top of that!
I was only 19 years old
and my dad was encouraging me to apply.
I think there was over 5000 applicants for 30 positions,
so it was a proud moment not only for my family
but for me to show that I could be, you know,
not just a fireMAN any more, but I was good enough to be a firefighter.
We were all on an equal playing field.
We were all there for the same reason
and we were the best of the best.
I don't think that dropping the standards
or having the order of merit changed to allow more women to get in,
I don't think that's the way to go about it.
We need to change it from grass-roots
from primary school and high school
and try to educate kids that this is a great career.
I've come to a platoon
and I'm sure it's just an indication of what FRNSW is like,
but everyone is just so supportive
and I couldn't imagine anyone, you know,
harassing or anything.
We just get on, you know, like a house on fire!
I don't think that females should be scared of coming in at all
because it's literally the best job ever, it's, yeah, I love it.