The legislation establishes CFA as a volunteer-based firefighting organisation, while creating Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV).
Eligible career and volunteer firefighters will have presumptive rights to compensation for 12 types of cancer for the first time.
CFA Chief Executive Officer and CEO Steve Warrington described the presumptive cancer laws as a crucial recognition of the sacrifices firefighters have made through service to the community.
“These reforms have been a long time coming and we are glad to have a clear mandate to build a stronger CFA with a focus on volunteering and serving our communities,” he said.
But the legislation has been slammed by Nationals Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy and the Victorian Premier was in the firing line.
“Daniel Andrews succeeded this week in his plan to tear apart our CFA,” Mr McCurdy said last Friday.
“It will see the CFA stripped of its paid staff, which will be moved into the new Fire Rescue Victoria and seconded back to the CFA, with approval from a union-controlled board.”
The Nationals Member for Ovens Valley said it was devastating news for local volunteers with the union also “being given a controlling stake in decisions on surge capacity, resourcing and budget allocations for the CFA”.
“Our local CFA volunteers have been outspoken in their opposition to Daniel Andrews’ destructive plan,” Mr McCurdy said.
“I support presumptive rights for volunteer and career firefighters. But twice, the Nationals introduced a standalone presumptive rights bill to Parliament and twice the Andrews Labor Government voted against it.”
Fears exist the CFA could be stripped of its 36 integrated fire stations where volunteers work alongside paid firefighters and will merge with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) to form a career-only service, ‘Fire Rescue Victoria’.
Mr McCurdy said the Andrews Government had shut down consultation with local communities by preventing the usual two-week consultation period and allowing just one day for debate, before forcing its CFA Bill to a vote in the Legislative Assembly.
“I support presumptive rights legislation for our volunteer and career firefighters, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of tearing up our CFA,” Mr McCurdy emphasised.
“The Nationals will always stand up for our CFA volunteers. We will fight on their behalf for the respect they deserve.”
Since 2014 more than 3,500 volunteers have left Victoria’s CFA.
“We need our local volunteers and the tens of thousands across the state to protect our homes, families and communities and to provide vital surge capacity at our times of greatest need,” Mr McCurdy said.
Wilby Fire Brigade Captain Lyndon Hart said the changes would not overly affect the Wilby CFA and their great relationship with larger brigades in Yarrawonga and District 22 will continue.
“The changes to the fire services reform legislation will not affect the Wilby CFA in its ability to respond to incidents in our turnout area or to assist other CFA Brigades or other emergency agencies regardless of the time of year,” Mr Hart said.
“The proposal of change is always a difficult thing to understand and deal with.
“I feel that both sides have stated good points and propaganda. Wilby CFA has always had good support from the Yarrawonga Fire Brigades Group and District 22, both the paid staff and volunteers.
“I believe this will continue into the future.”
Burramine Fire Brigade captain Peter Lawless also did not predict much change for smaller rural fire brigades but had misgivings about the legislation.
“You’ll probably see some bigger centres will have paid staff,” he said.
“A lot of volunteers will be annoyed, particularly rural members. According to some figures, the fire service levy has just gone up 15.9 per cent; it’s gone up quite a bit for residential too – it’s quite a slap in the face.”
Member for Northern Victoria Tim Quilty labelled the bill “political poison”.
“This bill is madness. It would be hard to find any sector of the community less deserving of being upset by the government,” Mr Quilty said. “It is political poison.”