Electricity infrastructure
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:31): (642) My question is for the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, who will bear the legal risk for preventative preparatory burning under or adjacent to VNI West and the Western Renewables Link – the electricity distribution company, the government or the landowner?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:32): Mr Davis, you are jumping slightly ahead of yourself in relation to drawing a hypothetical conclusion for something that is highly unlikely. In terms of transmission lines and their connectedness to fire, there have not been cases of fires that have been attributed to transmission lines –
Members interjecting.
Jaclyn SYMES: Distribution lines, sorry.
David Davis: There have been.
Jaclyn SYMES: No. In terms of the transmission lines that you are referring to, there is no evidence to suggest that they have started or have indeed been responsible for fires in the past.
David Davis interjected.
Jaclyn SYMES: The problem with your question is that you are stating a hypothetical result that is unlikely to occur, so therefore it is ridiculous to phrase your question in that way.
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:33): I think there are legitimate risks, and the minister appears to be unaware of them. The emergency services organisations that she administers actually have a critical lead role in preparatory and back burning of various types. I therefore ask: have you sought or received advice from your department or fire agencies about how this risk should be apportioned, and if so, will you release it?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:34): I can only infer, Mr Davis, that you are drawing a conclusion in relation to transmission lines. The VNI is transmission not distribution, so I reaffirm my statement that there is no evidence that fires have been attributed to transmission lines. Therefore in relation to the question that you have asked, you are trying to create fear in a community with a result that is not going to eventuate. I reject the premise of your question, and therefore my answer stands.