Reinstate our remote fire unit

THE Gell River fire in the Wilderness World Heritage Area has its origins as much with the incompetence and carelessness of the Liberal Government towards our national park system than it has to do with lightning. The Parks and Wildlife Service used to employ remote-area firefighters in the glory days when most Tasmanians, including probably the political parties, recognised the value of our protected areas and our responsibility to look after them. Not so now, with the Government’s refusal to adequately fund this premier land-management authority. Given the accelerating effects of global warming and the danger to our fire-sensitive vegetation, we need to reinstate a remote area firefighting unit, not rely on bringing teams from the mainland days after a major fire has started.

Added to this are potentially catastrophic effects of deer herds expanding in Tasmania (some now entering Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park), which needs a massive injection of funds before it becomes an environmental catastrophe as it has in New Zealand. The Liberals (and Labor) need to stop endorsing money-gobbling projects like a cable car at Cradle Mountain and other foolish developments and get on with the business of properly managing this remarkable state before it is relegated to as mediocre a place as just about everywhere else on our embattled planet.