❓ Question regarding the MOU between the Department of Lands and the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPAW) concerning fire mitigation activities on unallocated Crown land, including funding and prioritization.
AnsweredQoN 5376Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Lands and the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPAW) (formerly Department of Environment and Conservation) and I ask: (a) what are the terms of that MOU, and when was it executed; (b) how are the areas for fire mitigation activities for each year are identified and prioritised; (c) what percentage of unallocated Crown land under the control of the Department of Lands would be subject to fire mitigation work each year; (d) what is the total amount spent by the Department in fire mitigation activities, (exclusive of funds given to DPAW); and (e) in addition, how much funding is given to DPAW to conduct fire mitigation activities pursuant to the MOU?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 May 2016
Responded by
Minister for Lands
Response time
34 days
(a)Under the terms of the MOU, the Department of Parks and Wildlife’s (DPaW) principal commitment is to manage fire and other agreed hazards, to the extent that they are funded by the State Government of Western Australia, by (i) identifying hazards, (ii) allocating priorities that protect community and environmental values, and (iii) implementing activities that mitigate the impact of fire hazards. The MOU commenced on 8 September 2004. The existing MoU was specifically confirmed in correspondence between the Directors General of the Departments of Parks and Wildlife and Lands, as recently as May 2014
(b)The Department of Parks and Wildlife applies similar risk management principles to the identification and prioritisation of mitigation works on unallocated Crown land (UCL) and unmanaged reserves (UMR) as it does to land for which it has statutory management responsibility. It also considers opportunities to leverage the limited funding available for the purpose by conducting UCL/UMR works in conjunction with work on its neighbouring reserves or being conducted by other neighbouring landholders or land managers. Both approaches focus mitigation works on interface areas closer to population centres or visitation nodes, or on protecting important infrastructure. Further enquiries on such matters are best directed to the Minister for Environment
(c)The funding available for bushfire risk mitigation on UCL/UMR is used for planning and conducting a variety of mitigation activities. These include on-ground mitigation works such as prescribed burning, or fire access tracks, firebreaks or alternative fuel modification treatments on the large proportion of the land concerned where prescribed burning is not effective. Other activities include training of Aboriginal rangers who work primarily on UCL.
Many of these activities cannot be related to specific areas of coverage, and therefore do not lend themselves to statements about the percentage of UCL mitigated as a result. Further enquiries on such matters are best directed to the Minister for Environment
(d)$450,000
(e)None
(b)The Department of Parks and Wildlife applies similar risk management principles to the identification and prioritisation of mitigation works on unallocated Crown land (UCL) and unmanaged reserves (UMR) as it does to land for which it has statutory management responsibility. It also considers opportunities to leverage the limited funding available for the purpose by conducting UCL/UMR works in conjunction with work on its neighbouring reserves or being conducted by other neighbouring landholders or land managers. Both approaches focus mitigation works on interface areas closer to population centres or visitation nodes, or on protecting important infrastructure. Further enquiries on such matters are best directed to the Minister for Environment
(c)The funding available for bushfire risk mitigation on UCL/UMR is used for planning and conducting a variety of mitigation activities. These include on-ground mitigation works such as prescribed burning, or fire access tracks, firebreaks or alternative fuel modification treatments on the large proportion of the land concerned where prescribed burning is not effective. Other activities include training of Aboriginal rangers who work primarily on UCL.
Many of these activities cannot be related to specific areas of coverage, and therefore do not lend themselves to statements about the percentage of UCL mitigated as a result. Further enquiries on such matters are best directed to the Minister for Environment
(d)$450,000
(e)None
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