Victorian Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett has resigned from cabinet after refusing to back the premier in a dispute between the CFA and the firefighters' union.
Ms Garrett has consistently backed CFA management, which is refusing to sign a controversial pay deal with the United Firefighters Union due to various concerns, including that it breaches human rights laws.
"I have accepted the resignation of Jane Garrett from the cabinet," Premier Daniel Andrews said in a statement on Friday.
"Despite all concerns previously raised by Ms Garrett being addressed, she has indicated she refuses to support cabinet proposals to end the long-running dispute over the CFA Enterprise Agreement."
Ms Garrett said she would continue serving the community as the local member for Brunswick.
"It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve in my ministerial role which I leave with a heavy heart," she said on Twitter.
The CFA's board and chief executive on Thursday rejected the enterprise bargaining agreement with the union for the second time in a week.
They said a number of clauses don't comply with the state's human rights laws.
The volunteer-based organisation opposes a "consultation clause" it fears will hand the union a veto over CFA management decisions.
The union, however, argues a "dispute resolution officer" position has been included to give some ground to the CFA.
The CFA also has concerns over a clause requiring seven paid firefighters be sent to an incident before they can start "safe" fire fighting, and another clause requiring increased diversity in the workforce.
The state opposition on Friday wrote to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner requesting she intervene in the dispute.
"The commissioner has the power under the Equal Opportunity Act to seek leave to intervene in Fair Work proceedings when discrimination and equal opportunity are involved," shadow attorney-general John Pesutto said in a statement.
"This week Daniel Andrews' government is not just a shambles, it's an omnishambles."
Ms Garrett put her career on the line on Monday when she initially stopped the pay deal being pushed through cabinet.
But that put her at odds with Mr Andrews and the rest of the Labor cabinet - who want a deal done - and has now cost her the emergency services, consumer affairs and gaming portfolios.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said the premier had shown himself to be "a vengeful bully who is leading a dysfunctional and chaotic government".
"His forced resignation of a female minister for daring to question his attack on the CFA and its 60,000 volunteers emphasises that he puts his own political safety ahead of the safety of Victorians," the Liberal leader said in a statement on Friday.
"Despite warnings from a number of experts ... about the legality of the EBA, Daniel Andrews has rammed this through for his own political purposes."
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