BY RHETT BURNIE
MEMBER for Seymour Ben Hardman has hit back at claims by Federal Member for McEwen, Fran Bailey, that the State Government has allowed "massive" fuel loads to build up on Victoria’s roadsides.
In a statement released last week Ms Bailey said fuel loads in Victoria were too high and the State Government was to blame.
"The Brumby Government has allowed a massive build up of fuel along our roadsides and on forest floors over the last 10 years – dead trees, fallen branches, scrub, grass and litter," Ms Bailey said.
She said an accelerated fuel reduction program was needed to reduce fuel loads.
"Victoria's fuel load is too high and it will take many years of accelerated programs to reduce loads to a manageable level.
Ms Bailey called on communities, departments and Landcare to take part in year-round fuel reduction.
She said Victorians could learn a lot from locals in Sintra, in Portugal, where bushfires similar to those of Black Saturday occurred in 2004 and 2007.
"My visit to the Sintra region of Portugal, where fires of similar devastating magnitude to Black Saturday occurred in 2004 and 2007, highlighted the practical benefits of local peoples efforts being part of fuel reduction initiatives," she said.
"People in the Sintra region are vigilant and active in reducing fuel loads to better protect their communities and importantly, all waste material is mulched, compressed and sold to the public with the proceeds returned to help manage the environment," Ms Bailey said.
She said all activities are conducted in listed World Heritage areas.
"We must achieve a better balance between the environment and protecting our communities," she said.
According to Ms Bailey, the Bushfire Royal Commission has received 485 submissions outlining fuel reduction as a major issue.
But Mr Hardman hit back at Ms Bailey’s statement, saying the State Government is doing everything possible to make Victoria more fire safe.
"There has never been a greater effort to make our state as fire-safe and fire-ready as possible and across the state communities have put in a massive effort to prepare," Mr Hardman said.
He said the State Government had commissioned a record amount for the emergency service budget.
"The largest-ever firefighting effort is being backed by a record emergency services budget of more than $700 million, nearly triple 10 years ago," he said.
"The DSE has planned burns across 15,000 hectares since the middle of last year, building on 400,000 hectares of fuel burns on public land in three years," he said.
He said firefighters were already reducing fuel loads across the state.
"In the Otways, fire authorities have been able to do the most effective fuel reduction burning in 30 years.
Mr Hardman criticised the Liberal National Coalition after the party launched a spate of political jibes at the State Governments efforts since Black Saturday.
"Communities have united to prepare for the fire season, but there is one voice that has continued to scaremonger and talk down this effort and that is the Liberal/National Coalition," he said.
