I am perplexed when I read about the ever increasing NSW RFS budget and the way that the government uses the good name of the Volunteer fire fighters to justify its grab for cash.
They claim that they need more money for hazard reduction and we learned in the press this week (21st Jan 2016), that they are not meeting those targets.
They are not even close…
Fire management – what has changed?
In the last decade there have been a number of developments which are pulling Australian bushfire management in opposing directions. These include: publication of several Australian compendia on ecology and management of fires, transfer of large areas of multiple use forests into national parks and the declaration of roadless wilderness areas, listing of frequent fire as a threatening process under environmental legislation, many very large and damaging fires and subsequent government enquiries, a number of international conferences on fire management, establishment of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), a current trend of global warming, declining rainfall or droughts in parts of Australia, declining forest health in long unburnt areas and the ever-increasing numbers of Australians living at the urban/rural interface. Some of these developments are tempering the counter revolution, but the overall imbalance remains.
Why do these Government inquiries take so long?
Question – The Hon. Robert Brown:
My question is directed to the Hon. Duncan Gay, representing the Premier. Will the Premier guarantee that a Government response will be forthcoming to the General Purpose Standing Committee No. 5 inquiry into the Wambelong fire before Christmas given that the fire occurred in January 2013?
Inquiry into the fire at the Wambelong Camp Ground – Coroners Findings
On the 28th September 2015, the NSW Deputy State Coroner made the following recommendations to the Minister for Emergency Services. The findings and recommendations have not been well received by all persons. Feel free to add your comments to this article. We will publish any sensible feedback.
Wambelong Fire – Position of NSW State Government
Mr Elliott stated that the Coroner is still to hand down findings arising from the Coronial inquiry into the Wambelong fire and that the NSW Government will finalise its position on all of the Committee’s recommendations once the findings and any recommendations that may be made by the Coroner are released and considered.
His correspondence does visit the following topics:
1. Fire Trails
2. Protection of Pastoral Assets
3. Support Services, and
4. Funding Models
More calls for Wambelong inquiry recommendations to be adopted
VFFA President, Brian Williams talk to ABC’s Rural Country Hour Host, Michael Condon.
He said that the inquiry was conducted in a very methodical way, heard valuable testimony and was very balanced in the way it went about its business.
“The NSW Upper House inquiry made 29 recommendations to help avoid future bushfires across national parks and farmland.”
“The recommendations of the inquiry represent commonsense improvements to fire management.”
Farmers keen to see Bushfire Recommendations Adopted
Coonabarabran Farmer and Bushfire fighter, Rod Young was interviewed by Prime 7 News in relation to the upcoming announcement by the NSW State Government regarding the findings of the Public Enquiry into the disastrous bushfires of January 2013. The NSW State Government is now due to released it’s report into the findings on Monday 14th September 2015.
Nature Conservation Council say the Recommendations of the Wambelong fire inquiry are misguided
This article explores what the NSW Nature Conservation Council had to say about the Recommendations of the Wambelong fire inquiry. You can have your say using the comments option. Sensible discussion and comments will be published.
Government must act on NSW Upper House inquiry recommendations
NSW Farmers resolved to support the adoption of all 29 recommendations from the NSW Upper House inquiry into the January 2013 fires at Wambelong.
Fire lessons lost in smoke
NSW Emergency Services Minister David Elliott is due to respond to the Coonabarabran (Wambelong) fire inquiry by August 20, but agricultural bodies, fire service groups, and academics are split on how the state government should best apply the recommendations.