Wednesday, 13 May 2026

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Victorians are being slugged $6.8 billion in emergency services tax over the next four years, double the amount under the fire services levy. Will the CFA, SES and FRV budgets also double?

 Vicki WARD (Eltham – Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Natural Disaster Recovery, Minister for Equality) (14:29): I thank the member for his question, and I remind the member that, as I have said in this chamber many times before, we have already doubled investment in emergency services since coming to government. We continue to build on that investment in emergency services, which is why there is another $2 billion from my portfolio alone in this budget, why there is additional funding for forest fire management, for example, in this budget and why this budget more than exceeds the amount that is raised by the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, which we have already heard from those –

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, the question was very clear on whether the CFA, SES and FRV budgets would also double, and I ask you to bring the minister back to answering the question.

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

Vicki WARD: I am sure the shadow minister is very happy with the news that his own brigade was funded in this budget. I am sure that the shadow minister is very happy to hear about the $100 million in funding for CFA appliances that is in this budget, building on the $40 million that we invested last year in our previous budget. I am sure the shadow minister is very happy with all of the investments that we are putting into this budget, which exceeds the amount we invested last financial year in the last budget. To be clear with the shadow minister, we have doubled the funding in emergency services. We have the highest investment in fire services in the nation in this state. We will continue to invest in our emergency services, unlike those opposite, who would rip $1.6 billion out of emergency services should they have the honour of being elected.

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:31): The minister announced funding for new CFA trucks pre budget but neglected to mention that it is over 10 years. If Victorians are being asked to pay double what they used to in tax, why are CFA brigades being asked to wait 10 years for new trucks?

Anthony Carbines: On a point of order, Speaker, I might just make available to the house the 10-year plan to cut services that Victorians rely on.

The SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.

 Vicki WARD (Eltham – Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Natural Disaster Recovery, Minister for Equality) (14:34): Again, if the shadow minister had been paying attention, he would know that over the last 12 months a new appliance has been delivered to CFA on average every four days. He would also know that there are 167 already in the pipeline. He would know that there is up to $53 million available this year alone for CFA to invest in new appliances. I completely dismiss and disregard the claims made by the shadow minister, because he is completely wrong and he is not paying attention at all.