Victorian firefighters will only get presumptive cancer compensation rights if parliament agrees to the Andrews Labor government's controversial planned CFA split.
The two issues will be linked in the same bill, forcing MPs who don't agree to the CFA split to also vote against cancer-stricken firefighters getting support.
The bill combining the firefighters' presumptive rights compensation, and the fire services legislation amendment was introduced into parliament on Wednesday.
Premier Daniel Andrews defended tying the changes together.
"We don't run our reform agenda based on what the opposition might vote for or against," Mr Andrews told reporters on Wednesday.
"The government's drafted the bill and we'd expect all fair minded members of the Victorian parliament will vote for that bill."
The bill will pass through the Legislative Assembly, where the government has the numbers, but could run into trouble in the Legislative Council.
There's no guarantees the bill will be passed, amended, or go to an upper house committee, opposition leader Matthew Guy told reporters.
He says splitting the CFA is "highly divisive", and accused the government of "playing politics with firefighters' health".
The combined bill has the backing of the powerful United Firefighters' Union, which has launched a support campaign featuring radio and television ads and a new website.
"Why wouldn't you put two good reforms in place at the same time? You want to do these things before the fire season," union secretary Peter Marshall told reporters.
"You don't want to have these things continually placed in the parliament. They're two good things, why wouldn't you embrace them?"
The compensation will be administered through WorkSafe, dependent on years served and cancer type, and available to those diagnosed since June 2016.
A new expert committee will be created to advise WorkSafe.
Under the proposed bill, the newly-created Fire Rescue Victoria will take in paid firefighters from the CFA and MFB, with the CFA becoming a volunteer-only organisation.
The move is aimed at ending a deadlock over a controversial CFA pay deal, which has been in stalemate since federal government law changes to protect the role of volunteers in emergency organisations.
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