Coalition pledges hundreds of new fire trucks ahead of Victorian state election

The Victorian opposition has promised to deliver 335 new Country Fire Authority (CFA) trucks over five years if it wins the election later this month. 

The $200 million plan also includes 17 new and upgraded fire stations, and a push to recruit 10,000 CFA volunteers over a decade.

Last month, the auditor-general found more than $1 billion was needed to upgrade the state's aging fire truck fleet.

"We've seen our fire fighting fleet deteriorate over the years," Shadow Emergency Services Minister Danny O'Brien said.

"Fifty seven per cent of our trucks are at least 15 years old according to the auditor general, and in the CFA it's about 25 per cent that are more than 30 years old."

He said hundreds of trucks were leaving firefighters exposed and vulnerable.

"At the moment … out of about 2,200 CFA trucks, 802 of them are single cab tankers still," he said.

"That means that fire fighters have got to sit on the back and are actually out exposed to the heat, the smoke, the dust."

He said the Coalition's announcement would retire those remaining 802 trucks over a period of about a decade ensuring firefighters were safe and had appropriate equipment. 

"[Volunteers] do so much work and we need to have the resources and equipment that they deserve," Mr O'Brien said. 

An elected Liberal and National government would also scrap Labor's emergency services tax and restore the former Fire Services Property Levy model.

Last month, Labor announced a $167 million investment which would see 150 new fire trucks across the CFA and Fire Rescue Victoria by 2030. 

One Nation promises greater transparency

One Nation today promised to launch a website, known as Your Money, which would live-track government spending if elected on November 28.

"Transparency will no longer be optional under a One Nation government — it will be mandatory," said the party's Victorian leader, Warren Pickering.

"Every single taxpayer dollar that goes out the door will have a question mark attached to it."

Federal leader Pauline Hanson said the policy was about ensuring openness and accountability.

"The people of Victoria have been scammed to the tune of $15 billion plus," she said, referring to the estimated cost to taxpayers of criminal activity within the construction union by anti-corruption barrister Geoffrey Watson.

"I think it is quite evident we want to be up-front, trustworthy with the people of Victoria," Senator Hanson said. 

One Nation said the website would act "like a bank account" showing every dollar coming in and out of the state, featuring a live tracker of expenditure on programs, grants, staffing, and other government areas, as well as debt and interest repayments.

Your Money would also include an 'Open Cabinet' section where Victorians could view cabinet decisions within 30 business days, they said.

Asked why One Nation had not made its own policy costings public, Mr Pickering said the party would not publish policy costings it had done because "there is no need to publish policy costings if they are inaccurate".

Voting registration closing Tuesday

With just 26 days until the state election, Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel reminded the community that registration to vote closes on Melbourne Cup Day.

"We want to make sure everyone who is entitled to vote in Victoria is registered and has their details correct," he said. 

Anyone who has just turned 18, has newly moved to Victoria or has moved within Victoria should check their details online, he said.

A list of early voting centres will be published online on Wednesday, with early voting launching on November 18.

Mr Bluemmel said that same day, nominations for candidates would open. 

"It's a pretty short period," he said, noting it closes next Monday.

"That just allows us enough time to actually print the ballots because we can't print the ballots until we know who's nominated."

He also urged voters to familiarise themselves with changes to how you vote after group voting was abolished.