Mr McCurdy said the $1.54 billion Emergency Services Volunteer Fund was sold as a lifeline for CFA and VicSES volunteers, replacing the $1 billion Fire Services Property Levy, but when they looked into the budget, the figures showed less money was actually reaching the volunteers who risked their lives to protect their communities.
He said hundreds of millions of dollars were being funnelled into bureaucratic agencies with little to no community presence and demanded full transparency.
“Labor promised a funding boost for the CFA and SES, yet they’ve been handed a real-terms cut under a tax that’s raking in more than ever,” he said.
However, a spokesperson for the Victorian Treasury said there had been no cuts to Fire and Rescue Victoria, the CFA or VICSES budgets.
“Every single dollar raised by the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund goes back into our emergency services — as enshrined in legislation,” he said.
“The gazetted figures are based on an estimated forecast of base funding and do not include all funding provided to emergency services.”
The Victorian Government claims it is not accurate to compare funding in 2023/24 annual reports and the gazetted figures.
The spokesperson said 2023/24 annual reports showed final budgets, reflecting all funding adjustments made during the financial year, including for urgent and unforeseen circumstances and for emergency events, such as bushfires, storms or floods, and additional operating requirements for emergency service organisations.
He said the 2023/24 annual reports showed final budgets, reflecting all funding adjustments made during the financial year, including for urgent and unforeseen circumstances and for emergency events, such as bushfires, storms or floods, as well as additional operating requirements for emergency service organisations.
“These amounts do not represent the total funding an organisation will receive in 2025/26,” he said.
Mr McCurdy said he had again “compared the numbers that can’t be compared” as they were the only figures provided to the public, so the only set that could be used to compare funding.
“Labor’s approach is to offer shrouded figures and no hard numbers,” he said.
“According to the Government’s own figures, of $1.55 billion raised from the ESVF, $312 million is going to the CFA, or just over 20 cents in every dollar.
“$73 million is going to the SES, or 4.7 cents per dollar raised.
“In the May budget the CFA saw funding cut from $341m (2023/24 Annual Reports) to $328.4m (2025/26 budget).
“The SES saw a cut from $85.2 (2023/24) to $76.8m (2025/26).
“If the Treasury and Government want to dispute this, they need to provide us with the full set of accounts and costings.”
