Crisis inquiry call ‘grubby’
THE State Government has failed to implement the recommendations of two inquiries into bushfires in Tasmania, the Opposition says.
Labor leader Rebecca White said a proper investigation is needed into this summer’s fire crisis — but her comments were rejected by the Government as “grubby political point-scoring”.
“Two of the recommendations from the 2016 inquiry that the Government didn’t support in full were understanding the prevalence of dry lightning strikes and the provision of more support for remote access responders,” Ms White said.
“We know from the fires that have occurred this summer that was how a lot of them started. The question needs to be asked of the Government why they didn’t enforce the recommendations about those two issues and, if they had, whether we could have responded faster to those dry lightning strikes.”
Ms White has called for an inquiry into the handling of this summer’s bushfires.
“What we’re proposing the Government adopt is a process for an independent inquiry.
“There are about five recommendations from the 2016 inquiry that haven’t been implemented in full or even adopted as supported by the Government in full.”
Community and Public Sector Union state general secretary Tom Lynch backed Labor’s call for an inquiry.
“We’re particularly concerned that the inquiry looks at Sustainable Timber Tasmania and its predecessor Forestry Tasmania, the number of people with firefighting experience and equipment, and the number of bulldozers and other types of machinery that were available to fight fires that seem to have disappeared in the last three or four years — largely as a result of deci- sions of Government,” he said.
United Firefighters Union state vice president Leigh Hills also said an inquiry had merit.
“The sooner we can get under way with an inquiry the better, certainly,” he said.
The Australian Workers Union called for more specialist remote area firefighters, saying the existing 19 Tasmanian positions, supplemented by 20 interstate workers during summer, were not enough.
Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management Michael Ferguson said Labor and the unions were attempting to “create undue anxiety”.
“The Government has, and will always, follow the advice of actual, proven professionals when it comes to fighting bushfires.
“Our firefighters have done, and are doing, an excellent job which is demonstrated by the level of success they have had protecting both life and property. We all owe them our thanks, not opportunistic politicking.”