The Nationals and Liberals have secured a parliamentary inquiry that will get to the bottom of Labor’s 2026 summer bushfire preparedness and response.

Volunteers, firefighters, farmers, emergency service personnel, and community members will get the opportunity to put their experience on the record and ensure Victorians are better protected in the future.

The inquiry will bring to a head the state government’s short-changing of the CFA and support the truth that it cut funding to the CFA between 2021 and 2024.

Morale in the CFA continues to decline under Labor, with 9000 fewer volunteers over the past 10 years.

Our volunteers are doing the best they can with trucks over three decades old, failing equipment, and ageing sheds.

The inquiry – to be undertaken by the Legislative Council’s Environment and Planning Standing Committee – will also examine multiple recommendations from past inquiries that still haven’t been implemented by this government.

The inquiry will report by 1 June 2026.

Danny O’Brien MP, Leader of The Nationals

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Command slammed

Is the good work of the CFA being hampered in any great way by those in command?

Some say "Yes" and demand that there be a review right away.

Craig Penny, Terip Terip