THE former head of Merseyside fire service said he is 'thankful' he does not have to deal with the financial pressures dealt by austerity policies after taking up a new job in Australia.

Dan Stephens left Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) for Melbourne Fire Brigade (MFB) in July, having been chief fire officer for the region for seven years.

During that time he had to oversee millions of pounds of government cuts to the service's budget, prompting him to warn that public safety was bring compromised.

Speaking to the Press Association, Mr Stephens said there was "absolutely no comparison" between the services when it came to funding.

"In the UK was all about austerity and here there is very substantial investment in the fire and rescue service. It couldn't be more different in that sense," he said.

On Merseyside, Mr Stephens was in charge of providing services to around 1.4 million people in an area covering approximately 250 square miles, with 26 stations under his supervision.

By comparison, the MFB has more than 2,200 employees, 47 stations and provides services to nearly 3 million people in Melbourne's metropolitan district that covers around 390 square miles.

Despite the marked difference in size, Merseyside and Melbourne share a number of similarities, the chief explained.

Along with the usual characteristics of modern metropolitan areas, Liverpool and Melbourne are coastal port cities with a number of large sports stadia and are serviced by large airports.

Among the differences are Melbourne's hotter climate and Liverpool's higher levels of organised crime and urban deprivation.

The central difference, however, is in the budget, Mr Stephens explained.

"Australia is a very different place than the UK, where I come from, I come from a very extended period of austerity so, certainly the financial situation has been different and thankfully I don't face the financial challenges that we faced in Merseyside and right across the UK."

Mr Stephens praised the "good, strong operational practices" of his former service and suggested he would like to introduce some to the MFB.

A former Para and lifelong Liverpool fan, Mr Stephens's departure for Australia came after 18 years in the MFRS.