Victorians are being told there are “no cuts” to emergency services, even as the Allan Labor Government’s own documents show CFA funding will fall by $7 million next year at the same time bushfire risk is rising across the state.
In last week’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) hearings, departmental officials confirmed the CFA budget for 2024–25 was $352.6 million. This figure is also in the Department of Justice and Community Safety annual report.
Yet on 27 July 2025, the Minister for Emergency Services, Vicki Ward, signed a brief (released under FOI) approving just $345 million for 2025–26 — a cut the Allan Labor Government repeatedly claimed did not exist.
Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Emergency Services, Danny O’Brien, said the government can’t keep telling Victorians everything is fine when the numbers show otherwise.
“Labor can deny it all they like, but a $7 million cut is a cut,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Now they’re reducing CFA funding at the same time Victorians are being taxed an additional $3 billion over coming years under the new emergency services tax.”
In Question Time today, Minister Ward also couldn’t explain why her own Department needed a $1.07 million Treasurer’s Advance to address “emergency services organisation financial sustainability.”
“It’s extraordinary,” Mr O’Brien said.
“The Minister’s department sought more than a million dollars for ‘financial sustainability’ in emergency services and yet she couldn’t explain what it was used for.”
A Liberal and Nationals Government will abolish Labor’s emergency services tax and restore confidence in Victoria’s frontline firefighting capability.
Labor can’t manage emergency services and Victorians are paying the price.
