The union boss at the centre of a controversial split of Victoria's fire services says he's happy to talk to MPs who have stalled the bill in the upper house.
United Firefighters' Union boss Peter Marshall says he will gladly give evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into Victoria's controversial fire service reforms.
The Labor state government has been trying to force through the bill before parliament's winter break, but it has been unable to get crossbench support.
Instead, it has agreed to form a committee to examine the bill during the break.
The reforms will see the CFA become a volunteer-only organisation, its career firefighters split off with the MFB to create Fire Services Victoria and is tied to presumptive rights cancer compensation.
The United Firefighters Union backs the changes and has been running a high profile ad campaign supporting it.
"We're happy to give evidence, in fact if we get the opportunity we think we've got some value to add," Mr Marshall told reporters on Wednesday.
"There's been maybe six or seven inquiries.
"What we really want to see is what's best for the public and firefighters, both volunteer and career firefighters."
Premier Daniel Andrews said the government was open to considering changes to its fire services bill.
"We're talking with the crossbench; we'll continue to do that. We'll look at any report that comes back in good faith," Mr Andrews told reporters on Wednesday.
"Obviously we don't want any delay to getting these reforms in place and making sure our fire services for the next season are ready; I am confident they will be."
Opposition leader Matthew Guy is pleased the government has agreed to the committee inquiry.
"But it's a shame they didn't support it some months ago and thwarted it every step of the way," he told reporters on Wednesday.
The committee will be made up of three government MPs, three opposition, one Green and one other crossbench MP and it will have to report back by August 8.
CFA chief executive Frances Diver said the process would provide an opportunity for additional community engagement.
The government's concession came as a new Galaxy poll published in the Herald Sun and commissioned by an anonymous national organisation shows Labor has slipped behind the coalition 47-53 on a two-party preferred basis.
Mr Andrews says he has "absolutely no comment to make on that poll".
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