Page 5391 - Week 14 - Thursday, 19 November 2009
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Answers to questions
Bushfires—controlled burns
(Question No 330)
Mr Smith asked the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, upon notice, on 13 October 2009 (redirected to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services):
(1) In relation to hazard reduction activities what areas, comprising in aggregate 6200 hectares, were subject to slashing and what happened to the vegetation that was slashed.
(2) What areas comprising in aggregate 4000 hectares were subject to grazing and was any grazing conducted on rural leases.
(3) When was the grazing referred to in part (2) carried out.
(4) What areas, comprising in aggregate 750 hectares, were subject to chemical fuel management and what quantity of vegetation remained in these areas after the chemical fuel management.
(5) What areas, comprising in aggregate 700 hectares, were subject to prescribed burns and what vegetation remained in these areas after these prescribed burns.
(6) When were the prescribed burns referred to in part (5) carried out and what is the reason for the difference between the 700 hectares referred to in the Assembly on 16 September 2009 and the 373 hectares referred to in the advice received from the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services in his letter of 8 September 2009.
(7) What areas, comprising in aggregate 300 hectares, were subject to physical fuel removal and how was the fuel removed.
(8) What happened to the fuel referred to in part (7).
(9) What funding was provided for the hazard reduction activities referred to above for each year between 2002-03 and 2008-09 and how much of this funding was utilised in each year.
(10) What were the reasons for any underspend if the total budget was not spent on an activity in a year.
Mr Stanhope: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) There were over 160 separate locations where slashing was used as the means of hazard reduction. These are clearly identified in the TAMS Bushfire Operational Plan (BOP) 2008/09 and range from the Dunlop grasslands in the north to areas around Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and Namadgi in the south. Slashing is undertaken on grass areas and slashed grass remains on site to decay.
(2) The 2008/09 BOP provides details in relation to grazing. Grazing was conducted by leaseholders on rural leases.
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