Page 4994 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 28 November 2018
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time for all their tasks, including hazard reduction burning. And the opportunity for firefighters, including volunteer firefighters, to actually have some kind of rest is diminishing in this context. It is important that we talk about and acknowledge these issues in this Assembly debate.
I simply conclude by firstly indicating that the Greens intend to support Minister Gentleman’s amendment and secondly by moving the amendment circulated in my name, which I believe will need to be addressed first as part of the process; then we will come back to Minister Gentleman’s amendment. I move:
Insert new paragraph (1A):
“(1A) Further notes that climate change has increased the risk and severity of fires in the ACT, and is predicted to continue to do so, including by:
(a) increasing hot, dry conditions and increasing the likelihood of very high and extreme fire danger weather in the ACT;
(b) making heatwaves longer and more frequent; and
(c) causing fire seasons to start earlier and extend longer—which also reduces the opportunities for safe hazard reduction burning;”.
Mr Rattenbury’s amendment to Mr Gentleman’s proposed amendment agreed to.
MRS JONES (Murrumbidgee) (4.27): I move:
Add:
“(3) calls on the ACT Government to investigate methods of increasing the burning capacity during periods of suitable weather conditions and report back to the Assembly by the end of the 2018-19 bushfire season.”.
MRS JONES: Without rejecting any of what has been put by the minister or the Greens, I am amending Mr Gentleman’s amended amendment. I am asking the government to investigate if there are any methods of increasing the burning capacity during the periods of suitable weather conditions and report back to the Assembly by the end of the 2018-19 bushfire season. I would like other members to take the opportunity to respond to my amendment.
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Minister for Planning and Land Management, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister assisting the Chief Minister on Advanced Technology and Space Industries) (4.29): The government will not be supporting this amendment to my amended amendment. It repositions the original request for the government to do this work.
As I have said, we gave Mrs Jones information in regard to whether further work could be done, and I will reiterate that. Implementing prescribed burning is a risky and challenging task which takes into account resources available both for the burn and in the days following the burn.
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