Tuesday, 31 October 2023

Roadside vegetation

Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (12:22): (323) My question today is for the minister representing the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. In our regional areas it has become prevalent that the grass on the nature strips of paddocks and at major intersections is excessively long, so much so that it is putting road users at risk through lack of visibility at those intersections. It has also created a fire hazard through the accumulation of tree dead fall and dry grass fuel loading. Traditionally in these areas local farmers would collect the dead fall for firewood and strip-graze their cattle along these roadways, thus creating their own mini circular ecological economies. Since both of these practices are now illegal, I ask: can the minister explain what measures are being taken to eradicate these hazards?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:23): Thank you, Mrs Tyrrell, for that question, which raises a number of concerns, particularly around the upcoming summer season. We know the risk of grassfire is an inherent part of the summer season, and it is a cause of great anxiety as we head toward those El Niño weather events, which are characterised, as you know, by those really prolonged hot weather conditions. I am very happy to seek an answer for you in accordance with the standing orders.

Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (12:24): Can the minister coordinate a strategy to rectify this issue between herself and the ministers for environment, agriculture and/or emergency services before summer increases the risk?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:24): Thank you very much, Mrs Tyrrell. Again, I will refer that, but interestingly and perhaps relevantly to your supplementary question, there is a roadside fuel management working group, and that brings together the Department of Transport and Planning, DEECA, the CFA, V/Line and VicTrack to support the way in which risks are identified and prioritised. No doubt the minister responsible in the other place will have more information to provide to you in relation to that matter, and I will seek a response in accordance with the standing orders.