Wednesday, 21 June 2023

Bushfire preparedness

Tim BULL (Gippsland East) (19:03): (233) My adjournment tonight is to the Minister for Environment, and the action that I am seeking is the completion of the Sydenham Inlet Road firebreak before this summer. Post the 2019–20 fires the government announced its strategic fuel breaks program, and one of the firebreaks of significance was the Sydenham Inlet Road. That is exceptionally important because there is only one road in and out of that community, but after all this time we have not had any action on it. No work has been undertaken; no work has even been started. With another summer approaching, that community is quite rightly scratching its head and wondering what the hell is going on.

Not only do we need the work started, but the diagram that is on the department website talks about clearing 4 metres either side of the road. If that is going to be the case, you could have a 15-metre high tree 5 metres off the road that is going to burn down and that is going to close that road. Our firebreaks need to keep roads open. In 2019–20 we had Mallacoota and Cann River cut off for several weeks because the roadside clearing was inadequate. So when we put in this strategic firebreak, let us not be fiddling around the edges. Let us put in a firebreak that when completed will keep the road open to Bemm River so people can get in and out or can be cleared very quickly – but 4 metres either side of the road just will not do that. As I said, let us not put in place something that is not going to be appropriate. Let us get it done and get it done right. I would ask the minister to come back to me and explain when work is going to be started and when that job will be concluded.