Leader of The Nationals, Shadow Minister for Agriculture Peter Walsh, David Bentley Bush Users Group United, Assistant Shadow Minister for Public Land, Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath
The Nationals in Victoria have launched a Fuel Reduction Saves Lives campaign calling for increased fuel reduction on public land. The Leader of the Nationals, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Peter Walsh and Shadow Assistant Minister for Public Land Use, Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath and the Bush Users Group United (BUGU) launched the campaign. Source: Timberbiz
“Fuel reduction burns save lives, it’s that simple,’’ the Nationals leader Peter Walsh said.
“Victorians deserve to be safe and more planned burns will increase community safety.
“Mr Andrews must recommit to what the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission recommended, a five per cent planned burns target,” he said.
The Nationals say the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission formed after the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009 had recommended a target of five per cent preparatory burns to protect people and property.
Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien, Bill Shultz and Assistant Shadow Minister for Public Land, Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath
They say this recommendation has been recklessly ignored by the Andrews Labor Government, placing regional communities at risk.
The Nationals believe there is serious ongoing concern over the lack of fuel reduction undertaken by Labor and its role in exacerbating bushfires which devastated large parts of regional Victoria this summer.
The Liberal Nationals are pleased to support this campaign being spearheaded by BUGU. BUGU is a group of everyday Australians who are avid recreational bush users concerned with public land management in Victoria. BUGU has over 15,000 members state wide.
“The Andrews Labor Government needs to own up to the fact that when it comes to planned burns, it has dropped the ball,” the Member for Eastern Victoria Region Melina Bath said.
“Failure to conduct adequate planned burns is putting communities at an unacceptable risk, it’s time for the five per cent target to be reintroduced.’’
On Facebook Ms Bath wrote that she was outraged that the Forest Fire Management Annual Report showed how the State Government had slashed fuel reduction expenditure in Victoria.
“It is time to get the message out to all Victorians that ‘fuel reduction saves lives’,’’ she said.
“Fuel reduction can be completed through activities such as preparatory burns, cattle grazing, clearing of roadside reserves and maintenance of bush tracks. All which significantly reduce the risk and intensity of bushfire.
“Today I launched my campaign ‘Fuel Reduction Saves Lives’ with Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh MP and alongside the Bush User Groups United (BUGU) at Parliament House.
“It’s been a long and difficult summer throughout Gippsland with bushfire impacting our beautiful region. Our regional communities deserve to be safe.
It is time to get the message out to all Victorians that ‘fuel reduction saves lives’. Fuel reduction can be completed through activities such as preparatory burns, cattle grazing, clearing of roadside reserves and maintenance of bush tracks. All which significantly reduce the risk and intensity of bushfire.
“I am outraged that the Forest Fire Management Annual Report shows how Daniel Andrews has slashed fuel reduction expenditure in Victoria.”
Here are the facts:
- In 2014/2015 $50 million was spent on direct fire management activities
- Last year, Daniel Andrews spent only $18 million on direct fire management activities in contrast.
- Representing a 64% cut ✂️
- Shockingly of this $18 million
- 15% of this amount was spent on fuel reduction activities
- 85% was spent on planning and reporting
- Daniel Andrews does not care for our bush, nor does he care for regional communities – his words do not meet his actions.
- Victoria’s state forests must be properly managed and not locked up and left.
Spread the word – Fuel Reduction Saves Lives.
