On Thursday 6th September 2018 – VFFA president, Mick Holton spoke to Shoalhaven CBF Radio (Chance, Barry and Frenchy)
We spoke about:
Minister Troy Grant and Acting Commissioner Malcolm Connellan launching the arrival of our first Large Air Tanker (LAT) for the NSW fire season at Richmond RAAF Base.
Our failure to recognise the simplicity of a re-engagement to the bush, a reconnect with country that can save us huge amounts of money and more importantly, a return to cultural burning has the potential to restore the environment to a healthy status.
‘Boomer’, an Avro RJ 85, is the first of 4 LATS that will be here for the NSW fire season. Over the coming weeks and months we will have a combination of 2 RJ 85s, a Hercules and a 737 as our LATs which will combine with more than 100 helicopters and other planes to support fire fighting operations across NSW.
Mick Holton’s Response
Whilst the VFFA acknowledges that aviation support is a useful firefighting tool, we are deeply concerned that there is way too much focus upon reactive firefighting activities that have created BIG business opportunities that we simply cannot afford.
Our failure to recognise the simplicity of a reengagement to the bush, a reconnect with country that can save us huge amounts of money and more importantly, a return to cultural burning has the potential to restore the environment to a healthy status.
Best of all, this can be done on a shoestring budget.
“We must re-engage with the bush or we are doomed” said Mick.
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