Victoria's premier has slammed the federal government's involvement in the CFA's controversial pay deal, one day before volunteers firefighters are to give evidence at a senate inquiry.
Premier Daniel Andrews labelled draft laws to change the Fair Work act to stop enterprise agreements that limit the CFA's ability to deploy its own volunteers as "hysterical political game-playing".
"This legislation is a complete stunt - it's not needed," Mr Andrews told reporters on Sunday.
"This is sadly a political football and it's not a game I'm prepared to play."
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said volunteer firefighting was under threat when he introduced the bill into parliament on August 31.
But he has also acknowledged that his laws won't be retrospective, which means if the agreement is ratified before the federal legislation is passed it won't be affected by the change.
The CFA board backed EBA is now being challenged in the Victorian Supreme Court, and will head to trial in October.
Mr Andrews pushed the CFA deal through cabinet earlier in the year, causing the former emergency services minister Jane Garrett to quit.
Former CFA chief executive Lucinda Nolan, former chief officer Joe Buffone also resigned.
All believed the deal gave too much power to the United Firefighters Union at the expense of the CFA's 60,000 volunteers.
CFA volunteers and career firefighters are set to give evidence in Victoria's Mount Macedon region on Monday, as a federal senate inquiry into the draft bill collects more evidence.
More than 54 submissions have been made to the inquiry, including from the United Firefighters Union, the Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria and the Victorian government.
