Tuesday, 2 December 2025

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:34): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. PAEC was told by departmental officials last week that funding from the government to the CFA for 2024–25 was $352.6 million. Why did the minister sign a brief on 27 July this year approving funding for 2025–26 of $345 million, a $7 million cut?

 Vicki WARD (Eltham – Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Natural Disaster Recovery, Minister for Equality) (14:34): I will again make it very clear for the Leader of the Nationals – because there is clearly some confusion he has – there are no cuts to our emergency services, including CFA. I really want to thank the thousands of CFA volunteers we have across our state, who work incredibly hard to support their communities, who this government has absolutely got the back of.

We are one of the most bushfire-prone regions in the world, and this is why we have more than doubled the investment since we first came to government.

Brad Rowswell: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is debating the question.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On the point of order, Speaker, there is no point of order. The minister on her feet is addressing the issues and is outlining the investments that the Allan Labor government has made as part of its ongoing commitment to the CFA and our hardworking emergency service volunteers. I ask that you rule the point of order out of order.

Danny O’Brien: On the point of order on debating, Speaker, these are the government’s own figures, and the minister cannot refute them.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Nationals, I cannot tell the minister how to answer the question. The minister was being relevant to the question. Minister, come back to answering the question. Actually, I think the minister has already answered it.

Vicki WARD: We are talking about our emergency services budgets, including CFA budgets. We know that our emergency services are put under increasing pressure because of the ongoing changes to our climate and the increased frequency of disasters that are affecting our state. As I was saying, we have doubled this investment since coming to government, and that includes $1.5 billion for the CFA over the past four years for more trucks, new stations and more support. For example, we have invested in this budget $40 million in funding for a rolling fleet replacement program, and $62 million has doubled funding for equipment grants. I know that there are many members in this place who are very glad at the doubling of investment for VESEP grants, with many brigades and many units that I have been out to visit in the last few weeks, congratulating them on their success in receiving a record amount of funds.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Mildura, that is your last warning.

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, on the question of relevance, the minister still has not gone near the question I asked about a $7 million cut.

The SPEAKER: The minister answered the question at the outset.

Vicki WARD: I will say it again because the member is obviously hard of hearing. There are no cuts to our emergency services, including the CFA. Just last week I joined the members for Wendouree, Eureka and Ripon to announce over $22 million for the CFA through our volunteer emergency services equipment program. Let us be really clear: it is a program that they would like to cut. They would like to cut the SES out of this program. They would like to cut everything – $7 billion when it comes –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Laverton can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for Laverton withdrew from chamber.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is simply sledging the opposition, which is out of order.

The SPEAKER: There is no sledging in the standing orders, but I do ask the minister to come back to the question.

James Newbury: The government is very good at it.

The SPEAKER: Member for Brighton!

Vicki WARD: I was doing a compare and contrast where you have got double the funding, where you have got nearly $2 billion in this budget invested in emergency services, compared to a $7 billion cut. Our budget builds on $21 million we are delivering through the latest budget for seven new CFA stations and two new satellite stations across the state. We are investing in our emergency services. I will say it for a third time for those who are hard of hearing: there are no cuts.

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:39): Why did the minister’s department require a $1.07 million Treasurer’s advance to address ‘emergency services organisation financial sustainability’?

Vicki WARD: I would have thought the member had been around long enough to understand how Treasurer’s advances work. The emergency services experienced disasters and challenges throughout the year that Treasurer’s advances are needed to support, notwithstanding the fact that, because of the incredible pipeline of infrastructure projects that we have, there were also payments made throughout the year to contribute to those and to finalise payments. I would suggest that the member actually be very clear about what a Treasurer’s advance is and stop undermining the integrity of the funding of these services.

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, on the question of relevance, the Treasurer’s advance was for financial sustainability of the emergency services organisations.

The SPEAKER: The minister has concluded her answer.