Shocking reason some firefighters might not get $6,000 even though Scott Morrison offered it to them

Queensland volunteer firefighters might not receive the $6,000 cash boost offered to them by Scott Morrison, it has been revealed.

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s government is yet to sign up to the scheme that will see firefighters receive $300 a day and up to $6,000 in total. 

The Courier Mail reported that Queensland has not signed off on the proposal and implied Mr Morrison was disappointed by the decision.

The publication said Ms Palaszczuk’s government had so far refused to give the funding the go ahead because it was not a national scheme and was being offered to each state individually.   

‘It is disappointing that Labor in Queensland are reacting this way after the positive discussion I had with the premier last night,’ Mr Morrison told the publication.

Volunteer firefighters battling long-running NSW blazes could receive $300 per day – up to $6,000 in total – in financial support for their efforts (firefighters pictured with Prime Minister Scott Morrison)

Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan made bold claims the prime minister was only putting the scheme forward for NSW.

‘Quite frankly, I’m sick of this Prime Minister being a Prime Minister for NSW only,’ he said. 

State Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington wrote to the Premier pleading with her to sign up: ‘Your delay in making a decision will again delay benefits for these hard-working Queenslanders’. 

Both South Australia and Victoria have confirmed that their firefighters will receive the money. 

But Ms Palaszczuk strongly denied turning down the offer of compensation for volunteer firefighters in Queensland on Monday morning.

‘Queensland’s volunteer firefighters deserve the same level of federal government support as do other volunteer firefighters across the country,’ Ms Palaszczuk said in a statement.

‘I made that clear to the Prime Minister during our phone conversation on Saturday evening. Queensland has not refused the offer.

‘I will write to the Prime Minister as I have indicated.’

Scott Morrison (pictured) has announced volunteer firefighters battling deadly bushfires will be able to claim up to $6,000 in compensation

It follows the government’s announcement last week that Commonwealth public service volunteers would get at least four weeks of paid leave to fight bushfires under a plan to ensure more ‘boots on the ground’

The federal government on Sunday bowed to pressure to provide payments to those firefighters, which in NSW has already cost eight lives, as many as 1,000 homes and millions of hectares of bushland.

The payments will be available to Rural Fire Service NSW volunteers who are self-employed or work for small and medium businesses.

They will be capped at $6,000 per person and are tax-free. 

Mr Morrison extended the scheme to other states and territories who wished to participate, with the federal government setting aside $50 million for the purpose. 

The prime minister said the payments would be equivalent to 20 days of emergency leave for the eligible volunteers. 

Almost 110 fires were burning in NSW on Saturday, including large blazes ringing Sydney at Gospers Mountain and Green Wattle Creek

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said it is important for firefighters to receive compensation but agrees it needs to be made nation-wide.

‘One of the things I know from being on the ground on the north coast, in Queensland, on the South Coast, is that many firefighters are travelling from interstate,’ he told the Today show.

‘These fires don’t recognise State boundaries and nor do firefighters, I’ve got to say. That’s why it needs a national approach.’

‘This is simply a recognition that people have got to provide the essentials of life for their families and I can’t understand why the government has been so reluctant to agree to this. It’s a good thing that there’s some movement.’