Tuesday, 27 May 2025

Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund

Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:20): My question is to the Premier. The Premier has repeatedly said that every cent raised by the new emergency services tax will go to boosting our emergency services. Budget papers show the tax will raise an additional $600 million next financial year, but the emergency management capability output is actually reducing by $203 million. Why is the Premier taxing Victorians more but giving emergency services less?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:20): Acknowledging the question from the Leader of the National Party, I have to say that I am not going to take his word or his interpretation of the budget papers. I say this in the context that the member for Rowville is still denying that he cut money from the CFA and the MFB. You are still denying that. The member for Rowville is still denying that.

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, on the question of both relevance and debating, and to assist the house: budget paper 3, page 158, Premier.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The Premier was being relevant.

Jacinta ALLAN: This goes to why we have brought about a change to an existing levy, because it is about making sure that the SES who are based in Maribyrnong, who responded to the floods in Maribyrnong, have the support that they deserve. It is about making sure that the Emerald SES, who respond time and time and time again to the storm and wind events that occur in that part of our beautiful state, have the support that they deserve. It is about making sure the emergency services that I met in Mirboo North last year after those wild wind events that tore through our state have the equipment and the tools that they deserve. That is why we have made this change. We are putting investment back into our emergency services.

Danny O’Brien: I renew the point of order on relevance, Speaker. The rhetoric is fine, but the budget papers show otherwise. The government is not giving extra money to the SES or anyone else.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked. I cannot direct the Premier how to answer the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: If the Leader of the National Party needs any further assistance, he is wrong. As I was going through –

Members interjecting.

Jacinta ALLAN: We will give this to the member for Gippsland South: you spent a lot of time on PAEC. The member for Gippsland South spent a lot of time on PAEC, and on the occasions that I attended PAEC, he often also did not get the questions right. It is a fact that we are investing in our emergency services. It is a fact that those opposite have signalled that they would cut funding to the state emergency services, that they would not support our state emergency services, and that is just reverting back to type.

Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:24): Mark from Mirboo North was at the protest last week. He is facing a doubling of his emergency services levy, yet the Mirboo North fire brigade has been waiting for a new station for eight years. Will any of the extra tax Mark and other local residents pay go towards funding a new station for Mirboo North?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:24): I would like to thank the Leader of the National Party for his endorsement of the changes that have been made, because that is exactly why, by taking an existing levy and expanding it, we can provide more investment in fire stations, in state emergency services. This is exactly why. Whether it is a letter from the member for Kew or correspondence from the member for Lowan about more investment in our fire and emergency services, that is exactly why we have made this change. So I thank the Leader of the National Party for his endorsement of the changes that have been made.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is required to be factual, and the fact is that the tax revenue is not reserved for CFA or SES volunteers. I ask you to ask her to be factual.

The SPEAKER: As I have ruled previously, there is an expectation that all members will be factual when they are on their feet. The Premier has concluded her answer.