The Allan Labor Government’s deception and lack of transparency has been called out after it was discovered to be censoring evidence tendered to a parliamentary inquiry into last summer’s bushfires.
In extraordinary developments, the Upper House inquiry into the bushfires was given a 33-page list of responses to questions taken on notice by the CFA, only for the government to attempt to withdraw it and replace it with a sanitised 18-page response.
The parliamentary committee was told the CFA’s answers had to be approved by a Cabinet sub-committee, the Victorian Government Solicitor and the Department of Justice and Community Safety before they could be provided to the committee.
Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Danny O’Brien said the differences between the unfiltered 33-page response and the government censored 18-page version were stark.
“The original response provided to the parliamentary committee reveals a troubling tale of waste, mismanagement and staffing shortfalls that show the CFA was hampered in its ability to fight the summer fires,” Mr O’Brien said.
“CFA volunteers and the community will be disgusted to learn that the Labor Government is seeking to censor the CFA to cover its own backside.”
The original answers provided by the CFA reveal that:
- Nearly 20 per cent of CFA career staff positions were vacant at the start of the January bushfires, restricting support available to firefighters
- More than half of CFA staff positions were vacant in districts covering the Longwood and Harcourt fires when they ignited
- The cost of building CFA stations blew out by up to 365 per cent after the Allan Labor Government took responsibility away from the CFA and created the new Community Safety Building Authority (CSBA)
- Before the CSBA was established the CFA built 29 new stations per year on average, but since 2022 just two new stations were built each year
- Staffing shortages resulted in a “disrupted chain of command, lack of leadership continuity, reduced management capacity, operational capability, and inhibits CFA’s ability to adequately support brigades, members and stakeholders”
- The CFA sought $330 million in additional funding over three years but was granted just $118 million by the Labor Government
- Progressive funding cuts to DEECA have “constrained” the statewide fuel reduction program and further cuts pose a “real risk to CFA fuel vegetation management activities”
Mr O’Brien said the CFA’s honesty contrasted with the deceit from Labor that the CFA was being well supported.
“These documents reveal the CFA is struggling through staff shortfalls, was dramatically undermanned during the fires and has been shortchanged by Labor bureaucracy that has cost taxpayers millions in excessive station building costs.
“Taxpayers have been stung through millions of dollars of waste caused by the CSBA and brigades have missed out on new facilities because of mismanagement.
“When the cost of building new stations has blown out by up to 365 per cent, that is unconscionable waste that hurts taxpayers and our volunteers.
“Labor stands condemned for this cover up. The Nationals and Liberals will end the waste, stop the corruption and properly support our fire services.”
The two responses submitted on June 4 and June 30 are publicly available here – https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/inquiries/2026firesinquiry/other-documents
