Western Victoria MP James Purcell, whose vote was a crucial deciding factor for the bill in the upper house, voted for it to be considered by a committee.

"It’s a good way to try and get some resolution to it," he said in regards to the bill.

"It needs to be finalised one way or another. It was going to be a 20-20 vote, which doesn't go through, it just sits there.

"The committee will come back with some good insight into what they believe and if they do some consulting with the volunteers it may well sort it out."

The proposed legislation had intended to split paid and volunteer firefighters, creating a new Fire Rescue Victoria.

It also included presumptive cancer compensation rights for both career and volunteer firefighters.

Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell said it was a move that would allow the legislation and its impacts to be considered in greater detail.

“We now have an opportunity to do what Daniel Andrews didn’t – consult widely and scrutinise closely this divisive piece of legislation,” Mrs Britnell said. “It’s a flawed piece of legislation which was rushed into the parliament simply as way for the Premier to meet the demands of his union masters.

“This process will give everyone a say on how the modernisation of fire services can be better achieved.”

Emergency Services minister James Merlino has said the government’s committed to restructuring the CFA.

"Our priority is the safety of all Victorians and ensuring that our fire services can meet the needs of our fast growing state,” he said.