❓ Hon Dee Margetts raises concerns about a firebreak order issued by the Shire of Gingin for a high conservation value banksia woodland, questioning its potential impact on fauna and habitat recovery, and the Shire's capacity to protect the environment. The Minister requests the question be put on notice due to insufficient time to gather the information.
AnsweredQoN 402Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the issue by the Shire of Gingin of a firebreak order for Swan location 7807, located on the corner of Nilgen and Sappers Roads east of Lancelin, which mainly comprises a large area of high conservation value banksia woodland. I refer also to the imposition by the Environmental Protection Authority of clearing restrictions on the same land because it is adjacent to Nilgen Reserve, which has a remnant population of small mammals, including dunnarts. (1) Can the minister confirm that the reason the Shire of Gingin has issued the seven-day firebreak order for the owner to clear firebreaks into four cells - and if the owner does not do this, the shire will - is to force the owner to burn the entire property over the next four years, without taking into account the likely destruction of the high conservation habitat through clearing, weed invasion and erosion? (2) Given that two-thirds of the property was burnt four years ago and that the owner has been required to submit a planned burning program, as recommended by the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia, who will ensure that the faunal habitat is protected to the standard required by the EPA when the shire clearly does not have that ability? (3) I refer members to questions without notice 1166 and 1148. Given that it takes about 15 years for a remnant small native mammal population to recover from fire, will the draft preliminary guidelines on prescribed burning take into consideration minimum fauna recovery times; if so, how will a shire such as the Shire of Gingin be forced to comply; and, if not, why not? (4) As there appears to be no legislation that requires the Shire of Gingin to consider the impact of too frequent burning on important habitat, will the minister look at a legal mechanism to ensure that this can be done? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
(1) Can the minister confirm that the reason the Shire of Gingin has issued the seven-day firebreak order for the owner to clear firebreaks into four cells - and if the owner does not do this, the shire will - is to force the owner to burn the entire property over the next four years, without taking into account the likely destruction of the high conservation habitat through clearing, weed invasion and erosion? (2) Given that two-thirds of the property was burnt four years ago and that the owner has been required to submit a planned burning program, as recommended by the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia, who will ensure that the faunal habitat is protected to the standard required by the EPA when the shire clearly does not have that ability? (3) I refer members to questions without notice 1166 and 1148. Given that it takes about 15 years for a remnant small native mammal population to recover from fire, will the draft preliminary guidelines on prescribed burning take into consideration minimum fauna recovery times; if so, how will a shire such as the Shire of Gingin be forced to comply; and, if not, why not? (4) As there appears to be no legislation that requires the Shire of Gingin to consider the impact of too frequent burning on important habitat, will the minister look at a legal mechanism to ensure that this can be done? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
(2) Given that two-thirds of the property was burnt four years ago and that the owner has been required to submit a planned burning program, as recommended by the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia, who will ensure that the faunal habitat is protected to the standard required by the EPA when the shire clearly does not have that ability? (3) I refer members to questions without notice 1166 and 1148. Given that it takes about 15 years for a remnant small native mammal population to recover from fire, will the draft preliminary guidelines on prescribed burning take into consideration minimum fauna recovery times; if so, how will a shire such as the Shire of Gingin be forced to comply; and, if not, why not? (4) As there appears to be no legislation that requires the Shire of Gingin to consider the impact of too frequent burning on important habitat, will the minister look at a legal mechanism to ensure that this can be done? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
(3) I refer members to questions without notice 1166 and 1148. Given that it takes about 15 years for a remnant small native mammal population to recover from fire, will the draft preliminary guidelines on prescribed burning take into consideration minimum fauna recovery times; if so, how will a shire such as the Shire of Gingin be forced to comply; and, if not, why not? (4) As there appears to be no legislation that requires the Shire of Gingin to consider the impact of too frequent burning on important habitat, will the minister look at a legal mechanism to ensure that this can be done? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
(4) As there appears to be no legislation that requires the Shire of Gingin to consider the impact of too frequent burning on important habitat, will the minister look at a legal mechanism to ensure that this can be done? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
(1) Can the minister confirm that the reason the Shire of Gingin has issued the seven-day firebreak order for the owner to clear firebreaks into four cells - and if the owner does not do this, the shire will - is to force the owner to burn the entire property over the next four years, without taking into account the likely destruction of the high conservation habitat through clearing, weed invasion and erosion? (2) Given that two-thirds of the property was burnt four years ago and that the owner has been required to submit a planned burning program, as recommended by the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia, who will ensure that the faunal habitat is protected to the standard required by the EPA when the shire clearly does not have that ability? (3) I refer members to questions without notice 1166 and 1148. Given that it takes about 15 years for a remnant small native mammal population to recover from fire, will the draft preliminary guidelines on prescribed burning take into consideration minimum fauna recovery times; if so, how will a shire such as the Shire of Gingin be forced to comply; and, if not, why not? (4) As there appears to be no legislation that requires the Shire of Gingin to consider the impact of too frequent burning on important habitat, will the minister look at a legal mechanism to ensure that this can be done? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
(2) Given that two-thirds of the property was burnt four years ago and that the owner has been required to submit a planned burning program, as recommended by the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia, who will ensure that the faunal habitat is protected to the standard required by the EPA when the shire clearly does not have that ability? (3) I refer members to questions without notice 1166 and 1148. Given that it takes about 15 years for a remnant small native mammal population to recover from fire, will the draft preliminary guidelines on prescribed burning take into consideration minimum fauna recovery times; if so, how will a shire such as the Shire of Gingin be forced to comply; and, if not, why not? (4) As there appears to be no legislation that requires the Shire of Gingin to consider the impact of too frequent burning on important habitat, will the minister look at a legal mechanism to ensure that this can be done? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
(3) I refer members to questions without notice 1166 and 1148. Given that it takes about 15 years for a remnant small native mammal population to recover from fire, will the draft preliminary guidelines on prescribed burning take into consideration minimum fauna recovery times; if so, how will a shire such as the Shire of Gingin be forced to comply; and, if not, why not? (4) As there appears to be no legislation that requires the Shire of Gingin to consider the impact of too frequent burning on important habitat, will the minister look at a legal mechanism to ensure that this can be done? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
(4) As there appears to be no legislation that requires the Shire of Gingin to consider the impact of too frequent burning on important habitat, will the minister look at a legal mechanism to ensure that this can be done? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services advises that the information requested is not available in the time required. Therefore, I ask that the honourable member put the question on notice.
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