By ANDY WILSON

Funding for emergency services remains a hot spot for regional areas with Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland doubling down on her claim that the state government has cut almost $10m from the SES budget.

The stoush between Ms Cleeland and the government came after the SES 2024-25 Annual Report was tabled in Parliament on Monday 8 December which showed operating costs decreasing from $75.2m to $65.9m between the last two financial years.

Ms Cleeland said the cuts had come at a time when demand on emergency services was ‘skyrocketing’, putting greater strain on volunteer units across regional Victoria, including in the Euroa electorate.

“This government has used the SES as the poster child to sell its $3 billion emergency services tax to Victorians, only to take with one hand and cut funding with the other when demand on volunteers is surging,” Ms Cleeland said.

“Our SES volunteers are the people who show up at all hours, in all conditions, to keep our communities safe.”

The government slammed Ms Cleeland’s attack, with a spokesperson telling this masthead that her comments were ‘not accurate’.

"This claim is wrong - there have been no cuts to VICSES funding,” the spokesperson said.

"We won't take lectures from Annabelle Cleeland and the Nationals on supporting our emergency services.”

The government also targeted the opposition’s plan to scrap the ESVF and said the coalition would leave country Victorians ‘on their own’, while also highlighting the two-year deferral of the levy and an increase to the volunteer rebate cap for farmland from $5 million to $10 million of capital improved value.

"The ESVF is about keeping communities safe year-round from the increasing risk of bushfires, floods, and natural disasters which are happening more frequently and disproportionately impact our regional communities."

The government said Ms Cleeland had referred to a reporting period which was prior to the establishing of the ESVF and that several VicSES ‘one off’ infrastructure projects were not subjected to ongoing funding, such as the government’s High Priority Infrastructure Program, which delivered new units at Aintree, Cranbourne, Point Cook, and Officer in 2023-24.

However, Ms Cleeland doubled down, saying it was concerning that the minister refused to acknowledge the cut despite it being ‘clearly outlined’ in the report.

“The numbers are there in black and white,” she said.

“When demand is up, funding should not be going backwards.

“I will not be lectured on finances by a Treasurer who cannot read her own government’s annual report, which clearly shows a $10 million reduction in operating income.

“Emergency service workers would not be constantly protesting on the steps of Parliament if they were properly resourced, no matter how much the Allan Labor Government tries to gaslight Victorians.”

The report is available at https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/4acbdd/globalassets/tabled-paper-documents/tabled-paper-9841/victoria-state-emergency-service-authority-annual-report-2024-25.pdf