Wednesday, 4 February 2026

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:18): My question is to the Minister for Environment. Why have contractors with heavy plant and equipment engaged to fight bushfires in Victoria not been paid, with an estimated $15 million now outstanding?

 Steve DIMOPOULOS (Oakleigh – Minister for Environment, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Minister for Outdoor Recreation) (14:18): I thank the member for his question. I do not have a response. I have to fact-check his question, to be really honest with you. I will come back to him. But it does give me an opportunity to commend the extraordinary work of those same contractors he is talking about.

Members interjecting.

Steve DIMOPOULOS: I think the Leader of the Nationals’ constituents deserve a proper response to that, and I will come back to him on that. But it does give me an opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary work, capacity, expertise and equipment that those contractors have, which have been extraordinarily handy. This government decided to end native timber harvesting at the beginning of 2024. We retained the expertise of those contractors for exactly this type of emergency. They are out there assisting right now, opening up roadways and access ways, clearing debris and trees that are impacting the free flow of those communities that have been impacted so severely by the bushfires. I will come back to the member in relation to that specific question, because we value the work of those contractors, as I might say we value the work of all emergency responders and people who have been there for the community during the bushfires.

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:20): Contractors have been told that Forest Fire Management Victoria has not paid them because they do not have the staff to process time sheets. When will contractors be paid?

 Steve DIMOPOULOS (Oakleigh – Minister for Environment, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Minister for Outdoor Recreation) (14:20): As I said, I have to check the premise of that question. Can I just say, akin to the response the Premier gave to the member for Euroa, I would expect nothing else of the good men and women of FFMVic than to be there for the Victorian community fighting bushfires right now. That is exactly the work I would expect them to be doing, and that is the work of emergency response. It is not the work of bookkeeping. But I will come back to the member in relation to the question he has asked.