Concerns Continue Over CFA Funding

Following the long-awaited release of the 2024‑25 CFA Annual Report, CFA volunteers are saying that despite funding reaching its highest level in five years, there has been no real increase within the organisation on the ground.

In a statement released on social media on Wednesday, the CFA Volunteers Group — a volunteer-led organisation that advocates on behalf of CFA volunteers — said “funding has barely moved in line with inflation, vehicle costs and growing fire risk.”

“In fact,” the statement continued, “over the past three years, CFA funding fell, and this year’s modest bump barely makes up for it. Headline dollars don’t deliver new tankers, safer appliances, or better support for volunteers. Volunteers don’t need spin. They need real investment, transparency, and capability on the ground.”

The statement follows one released by the Victorian Minister for Emergency Services on Tuesday, which said the CFA is stronger, better funded and better resourced under a Labor Government.

The Minister noted that grant funding increased by nearly $22 million, total income rose by more than $26 million, and the CFA’s asset base grew by about $106 million, supporting investment in volunteers, stations, trucks and equipment.

The release came in response to opposition criticism, including a Parliamentary Budget Office report showing state funding had fallen from $351.6 million in 2020‑21 to $339.5 million in 2023‑24, with a further reduction to $337.6 million in 2024‑25.

Shadow Treasurer Jess Wilson said the report confirms Labor has reduced funding every year since 2020, while Shadow Minister Danny O’Brien warned that cuts “aren’t just numbers on a page; they have real consequences for regional communities.”