Emergency service chaos: CFA, FRV and VicSES budgets cut by $165m

Victorian fire agencies are in chaos, as the Victorian Government reveals massive cuts to the CFA, VicSES and Fire Rescue Victoria.

Treasurer Jaclyn Symes (right) has revealed major cuts to the CFA, FRV and VicSES funding, despite imposing a new $1.55 billion emergency service tax.

Victoria’s fire and emergency services have been thrown into turmoil after Treasurer Jaclyn Symes published a gazette that revealed a $165 million cut to CFA, FRV and VicSES budgets.

At 4.52pm last Friday Ms Symes issued a government gazette outlining how the new $1.55 billion emergency services levy will be distributed across agencies in 2025-26 —

including those within government departments.

According to the gazette, $312m or 95 per cent of the CFA’s “Forecast Funding Requirements” for 2025-26 will be covered by the tax.

When combined with the government’s statutory obligation of five per cent, the CFA’s total 2025-26 budget rises to $328m — a $42m cut on its 2023-24 budget of $370m.

Last Friday's government gazette, showing the amount each agency will receive from the new emergency services tax as a proportion of its total budget.

The gazette also reveals that VicSES’ budget has been slashed from $85.2m in 2023-24 to $76.8m 2025-26.

Fire Rescue Victoria is facing the steepest cut, with funding set to drop from $961.4m last financial year to $846.4m in 2025-26.

Opposition emergency services spokesman Danny O’Brien said the figures “reveal the lie behind this new tax – it was never about supporting emergency services, it was always about the government trying to plug holes in the budget”.

When questioned about the cuts this week, Ms Symes office denied there were any reductions.

“There are no cuts to FRV, CFA or VICSES’ budgets,” Ms Symes office said. “These incorrect claims are another example of repeated, deliberate misinformation by the Weekly Times.

“The gazetted figures are based on an estimated forecast of base funding and do not include all funding provided to emergency services.”

However, the publication of the gazette has left emergency services scrambling for answers. CFA sources said they were still waiting on clarification from Treasury.

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria chief executive Adam Barnett said “it leaves CFA planning in chaos, unable to order new trucks and secure builders for stations”.

“We demand budget transparency from the government,” Mr Barnett said.

Even Forest Fire Managerment Victoria — responsible for bushfire response and fuel reduction on public land — has had its funding cut, from $431m in 2023-24 to $401m in 2025-26.

Triple-0 Victoria has also been hit, with its funding slashed by $79m to $248m.

Full analysis of 2023-24 versus 2025-26 emergency services' funding (2024-25 not yet available).

Meanwhile, the government’s own departmental agencies have received a slight funding boost — up $5.2m overall — largely due to an extra $145m being poured into the Emergency Management Operational Communication Program.