Tuesday, 3 February 2026

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (18:06): My question is to the Premier. In a radio interview on 20 January the Minister for Emergency Services said, in relation to CFA funding:

It’s just that it’s complicated. Emergencies are complicated. Emergency services are complicated. We’re focused on readiness, we’re not about focusing on spreadsheets.

Is the reason the CFA budget has been cut by $55 million in real terms since 2021 because the government has taken its eye off the spreadsheets?

Jacinta Allan: On a point of order, Speaker, I refer you to my previous point of order about questions being factual. As you ruled on that point of order, you said there was an assumption that is made in the question and I had the opportunity to correct that assumption, which I have done, in making it absolutely clear that the false claim that has been repeated in this question is –

A member interjected.

Jacinta Allan: Yes, I am making a point of order.

The SPEAKER: Premier, through the Chair.

Jacinta Allan: Thank you, Speaker. I was just looking forward to the opportunity to make my point of order. As I have done in answering previous questions, I have made it absolutely clear that the claim that is being made in this question and in the previous question is wrong. As such, I have pointed to the evidence that is provided in both the 2024–25 annual report and the statement from the CFA board. Therefore I ask that you require the member for Gippsland South to reword his question so that it is factual and accurate.

The SPEAKER: In relation to the Premier’s point of order, it is the Premier’s prerogative to answer the question in any way she chooses. If she wishes to discredit the question as not a statement of fact, she is entitled to do so. I do not uphold the point of order.

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (18:08): Thank you, Speaker. It is not a statement of fact, the claim made by the member for Gippsland South. I have read the 2024–25 annual report, and it shows very clearly that there has been the highest level of funding for the CFA in five years. The member for Gippsland South referred to comments made by the Minister for Emergency Services, who, can I say, has worked so incredibly hard and strongly over this summer period. She was making the point that, yes, emergency response is incredibly complex. I went to this in my condolence motion earlier, about the huge complexity that is involved in coordinating an integrated response across multiple emergency services agencies that have only had their funding supported by our government. I would have thought, with all the evidence – the annual report and the statements from the CFA board ‍– that finally the member for Gippsland South and his colleagues would come to the realisation that they are wrong and that their campaign of misinformation is doing them a great disservice. But worse than that, this misinformation is harming country communities. What does it say about a political party that they want to continue to deliberately deceive –

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order on the question of relevance, Speaker, there is only one person who is deliberately deceiving. What is in the CFA annual report?

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: It tells Victorians all they need to know – that they cannot trust this Liberal–National–One Nation coalition for their campaign of misinformation.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, how can nasty sledges be relevant?

The SPEAKER: That is not a point of order, Manager of Opposition Business. I ask you to raise your points of order as points of order. The Premier has concluded her answer.

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (18:10): What is the CFA budget for 2025–26?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (18:10): I will remind the member for Gippsland South that we are still in the 2025–26 financial year, and I will remind the member for Gippsland South how emergency services budgets operate. When there is an emergency, what do we do? We fund our emergency services, like we did ahead of this fire season.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Nationals, I have asked you to cease interjecting several times. Now you want to raise a point of order. I ask you to raise your point of order and be succinct.

Danny O’Brien: The point of order is on debating. The Premier seems to forget that we have a budget every year that estimates what the entire government is going to be spending its money on.

The SPEAKER: That is not a point of order. The Premier was being relevant and not debating.

Jacinta ALLAN: There can be no debate: the 2025–26 financial year is still not over. There can also be no debate that the 2025–26 fire season is not over. We provided additional funding to the CFA ahead of this fire season within this financial year because they asked for the additional funding. We have only ever increased funding to the CFA, as this year’s annual report demonstrates, and we will continue to back our emergency services.