Seventeen former native timber harvest and haulage crews, who entered into Victorian Government contracts on July 1 to undertake forest and fire management works, have been sitting idle – while being paid 70 per cent of their monthly rate, according to The Weekly Times. Source: Weekly Times
And The Weekly Times says much of the holdup is due to the failure of government to undertake planning and survey work prior to fuel reduction burns and fire breaks being cleared.
That failure comes despite the government having had more than 16 months to prepare, after Treasurer Tim Pallas announced in May last year that native timber harvesting would come to an early end this year.
“We have blokes who want to go to work,” one contractor told The Weekly Times.
“They don’t want to sit around. No-one’s got work. All they’ve got is four pissy-little jobs for us in October – for 17 contractors.”
As it stands, contractors say it will take Forest Fire Management Victoria months to get surveys of frogs, gliders and other species completed as well as cultural heritage assessments.
One contractor told The Weekly Times that while July and August are traditionally quieter months, due to normally wet conditions, his crew could have been out clearing overgrown fire access tracks.
Each five-year forest and fire management works contract guarantees operators 1000hrs of work per year for each machine they operate (usually three), with annual payments of $800,000 to $1 million.
Given contractors must still pay their workers and finance on machinery, the government has guaranteed them about 70 per cent of their monthly payment, whether they work or not.
Further complicating the issue is a federal-court case being brought against FFMVic by the Warburton Environment group for clearing hollow-bearing trees, based on the risk of harming Leadbeater’s Possum, Southern Greater and Yellow-Bellied Gliders.
The case is due to be heard by the Federal Court on September 18.
FFMVic has a policy of clearing hazardous trees along fire tracks and breaks, due to the risk to firefighters and its own workers.
Asked what plans are in place to get contractors out and working, a Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action spokesman told The Weekly Times: “this spring, under the guidance and oversight of trained DEECA staff, contractors will build and maintain strategic fuel breaks, roads and tracks, as well as treat hazardous trees and prepare for planned burning.
“They also help with regeneration and recovery works following storms or other emergency events,” the spokesman said.
“The Victorian Government’s $362 million investment the in the Forest Contractor Program, ensures contractors with special skills, expertise and equipment are available for frontline response in the event of bushfires or other emergencies.”
