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Ingram raises issues in bushfire inquiry submission

Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has stated that the State Government agencies responsible for management of public land have breached their duty of care in ensuring that land is maintained.

By East Gippsland Local News - 2nd May 2003 - Back to News

Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has stated that the State Government agencies responsible for management of public land have breached their duty of care in ensuring that land is maintained in a manner that reduces fire risk to its neighbour.

In his submission to the Victorian Bushfire Inquiry, Mr Ingram said that in the aftermath of the fires many issues have emerged that need to be addressed and some issues have been simmering for decades.

"My submission contains a number of issues that were raised directly with me during my visits to the fire affected areas, as well as concerns raised in the lead-up to the fires," Mr Ingram said.

"The destruction caused to private property was significant, but was also minimal compared to the potential of the disaster and I trust the Inquiry will recognise this and instigate solutions.

"There were numerous reports of unusual characteristics in the behaviour of the fires and these seemed to be attributable to excessive fuel on the forest floor, a factor that has worried bushmen for decades.

"The fact that community meetings were held in every centre as far as Mallacoota was evidence that the authorities were not confident that the fires could be stopped until they reached the sea if the worst conditions eventuated.

"The public land managers in Gippsland have, through lack of fuel reduction burning and fire prevention work, allowed our forests to become a tinder box.

"Data tables show quite clearly that the government departments responsible for the management of fire prevention have failed to meet the goals that they have established to protect human life and assets and manage the forests for ecological purposes.

"The data shows that the department has not been able to meet any of its targets in any year over the past decade and is 50% below the expected target.

"The worst areas of performance are the Zone 1 areas adjacent to private land.

"This prolonged failure is due to the over restrictive nature of the guidelines for allowing fuel reduction burns; the lack of resources to allow the department to fulfil its obligations; and the loss of the traditional foresters’ knowledge of fire and fire behaviour."

Mr Ingram has made the submission to the Emergency Services Commissioner, Bruce Esplin, and urged local residents to make their own submissions.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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