Page 4011 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 16 Sept 2009
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
territory, the number of members involved and the total number of bushfires in other states attended by members of the brigade. It gives us a picture of what we were able to do in the previous season.
Clause 85I talks about budgets, staffing and the number of appliances available for the upcoming season. It also asks for a list of plans prepared under the legislation, a list of studies conducted by the territory in the last 12 months and details of the age, state of repair, number and availability of vehicles that are intended to be used to fight bushfires. It also looks at the level and currency of training of all those who would be involved in fires, and it asks for a long-range weather forecast—all of which is information that is already available and collected. And if it is not, you have to ask the question: why?
Clause 85J looks at preparedness and fine fuel reduction activity. There seems to be some confusion. Some people have been calling fuel reduction “back-burn”. Back-burns are normally a tactical weapon that we use when we are fighting a fire. Fuel reduction, controlled burns and prescribed burns are the terms that we should be talking about here.
Clause 85J gives us an assessment of fuels in fire-prone areas, the number of controlled fires that were planned to be undertaken, the actual outcome, the area of land on which controlled fires were undertaken and the effectiveness of these fires. Often, fires can skim over the top, so what looks like a successful fuel reduction activity may not have resulted in what it is that you have intended. In this clause I have said that in each report we need to have a trend so that we can see what is happening. I have suggested that a 10-year figure is accumulated so that we can do the comparison quickly and understand what has been done.
Clause 85K looks at access preparations. It asks what is the length and location of fire trails cleared or upgraded, the number of fire trails planned to be cleared or upgraded, the number of new trails created, if any, the number of fire trails closed, if any, maintenance programs and the state of bridges. Part of the problem with the McIntyre fire in 2003 was that the New South Wales parks service could not get their tankers in because they had not maintained the bridges. It is very important. The clause also looks at the state of landing strips and other aerial access into fire-prone areas.
Clause 85L discusses protecting significant areas. The bushfire preparedness report must include the following: what areas have been identified as significant areas; what plans have been developed to protect significant areas; and what action has been taken to implement these plans. In this clause, a “significant area” is defined under the Heritage Act, and that looks at things like environmental or built heritage—for instance, the wetlands that we lost along the Franklin road, or some of the huts that were lost in Tidbinbilla and further afield. It also talks about infrastructure as provided under the Utilities Act 2000 so that, if we know we cannot protect it all in the event of a big fire, we actually have, in the Assembly, knowledge that we have plans to protect the most important pieces of our environment.
Clause 85M talks about legislative requirements. The report should have a list of legislative requirements—which have been or are being complied with and which have not, and an explanation of which have not been complied with.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .