Thursday, 19 October 2023

Warrandyte electorate bushfire preparedness

Nicole WERNER (Warrandyte) (17:33): (399) I am glad to give my adjournment for tonight. My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Environment regarding the upcoming bushfire season in my electorate. The action I seek from the minister is that he issue a bushfire strategy plan which he will publicly release that will include the percentage of preparation that has been done in the area, communication with local CFAs and police about emergency response and the level of consultation with local government.

As I said in my maiden speech, one local issue that I will continue to advocate for and not grow silent over is adequate bushfire protection in our area. Tonight as I stand before you, I am reminded of the proactive steps my constituents are taking to confront this impending danger. There are members of my community gathering at Park Orchards community house tonight, receiving a briefing from the CFA about the upcoming extreme bushfire season that so many in my electorate are deeply concerned about. This is a testament to the bushfire awareness that exists within Warrandyte. They understand, as I do, that we are gearing up for a hot and dry summer, and I must admit I fear the worst could transpire if our government does not take decisive action.

We are fortunate to have incredible local CFA volunteers from Aaron Farr in Wonga Park to Cam Mackay in South Warrandyte, to the crews in Chirnside Park, North Warrandyte and Warrandyte. These brave individuals are the heroes of our community, and we owe it to them to ensure that they have the resources and support they need to safeguard us. I earnestly hope that the minister will collaborate with our local CFAs and me to ensure the issuance of a robust bushfire strategy before the worst-case scenario unfolds, as I am terrified it could. The safety of my Warrandyte community is at stake, and it is the government’s responsibility to act swiftly and decisively.