A senior member of Matthew Guy's frontbench has infuriated firefighters after telling Parliament that paid firefighters did not respond for the first 5½ hours on Black Saturday, the nation's worst bushfire tragedy.

Shadow emergency services minister Brad Battin​ last week spoke out against speculated plans by the Andrews government to overhaul the state's fire services and create a wholly volunteer service and a separate paid force for built-up areas.

Shadow emergency services minister Brad Battin has apologised for his comments. Credit:Justin McManus

"When we go back to February 2009, the minister should be able to tell us how many career firefighters were on the firefighting ground on 7 February for the first 5½ hours of Black Saturday. I can tell the house that it was zero," Mr Battin told Parliament.

The comments have infuriated firefighters who see the false accusations as part of an ongoing campaign by the volunteers association and the state opposition to demonise career firefighters.