Vic firefighters guaranteed cancer compo

A Victorian government backflip has guaranteed compensation for firefighters battling certain types of cancers.

After rejecting similar legislation introduced by the Greens, Deputy Premier Peter Ryan says a re-elected coalition would change the system and provide greater protection to more than 61,000 Victorian firefighters.

Mr Ryan says it will mean firefighters diagnosed with certain types of cancers will be presumed, for compensation purposes, to have contracted it from their employment.

He says it will reverse the current onus of proof.

"This is about providing certainty for Victoria's hardworking firefighters and their families," he said on Thursday.

Mr Ryan said the details would be determined after the government received Monash University's study into firefighters' health.

Both the United Firefighters Union and Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria gave the announcement a cautious welcome.

United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall said he wanted to see details.

"We remain wary of the Napthine government when, on the eve of legislation being introduced last year, they announced assessment panels for firefighters with work-related cancers," he said in a statement.

"It is a surprising turnaround after the Liberals voted down a Greens bid to implement similar legislation last year."

VFBV CEO Andrew Ford said Victorian firefighters found it almost impossible to access cancer compensation.

"There are 12 cancers included in the presumptive legislation arrangements federally and in other states, and we expect the same in Victoria," Mr Ford said.

Victorian Greens MP Colleen Hartland, who introduced similar legislation, welcomed the announcement but said it was purely cynical given the government fought it for three years.

"Absolutely, and when you consider the number of firefighters who have actually died in that time and there are other firefighters who are financially, emotionally and physically struggling with their cancers that this government could have assisted," she told AAP.

Ms Hartland said the state opposition had always supported the proposal and she hoped it would be the first piece of legislation introduced to the new parliament.