Page 3831 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 16 October 1991
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RURAL FIREFIGHTING SERVICE
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services), by leave: Mr Speaker, at question time, Mr Collaery asked me about a burning-off operation and made much play of the current wind velocity and direction at the Air Force base at Fairbairn. I am not saying that he got that wrong; I am advised that the wind is quite irrelevant. It assists the burn-off operation because they are burning against the wind; that is, the burn-off is proceeding in such a manner that the front of the fire is facing the wind and the wind, to the extent that it pushes the fire, pushes it back onto burnt-off areas.
Mr Kaine: It is called back-burning.
MR CONNOLLY: It is called back-burning. Mr Kaine understands it well, and properly so. Mr Collaery had some problems. It is being conducted by the Canberra nature parks people of DELP; the Bush Fire Council is involved in monitoring, as are the air pollution people, I am told.
I am told that this is adjacent to an area which last year, under the former Government, was not back-burned. Members would recall a very unpleasant day here, at the height of last summer, when my colleague Mr Wood, perhaps amongst others, had to leave the Assembly at very urgent or short notice because houses in O'Connor were under threat from just the sort of major fire - - -
Ms Follett: He is not here now.
Mrs Grassby: Where has he gone?
MR CONNOLLY: He is all right now. We are not getting anywhere near Mr Wood's house; I am sure of that. Because a back-burn operation had not been conducted last year, the houses and property of Mr Wood and many other Canberrans were at risk when there was a major fire. The operation is being conducted with full realisation of the wind speed and velocity; indeed, it is because of the wind that they are conducting the safe operation.
PAPERS
MR BERRY (Deputy Chief Minister): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I table, pursuant to section 93 of the Audit Act 1989, the Building and Construction Industry Long Service Leave Board Annual Management Report 1990-91 and, pursuant to section 79 of the Audit Act 1989, the Department of Urban Services financial statements, including the Auditor-General's report for the period from 11 May 1989 to 30 June 1990.
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