❓ Hon Diane Evers asks about prescribed burning activities, costs, and funding distribution by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES). The Minister provides details on DFES's role, expenditure, and funding to local governments for bushfire mitigation, including prescribed burning.
AnsweredQoN 2466Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Please provide a list of all the departments, agencies and offices involved in any way in prescribed burning under the Minister's responsibility and what activities they perform in regards to prescribed burning? (2) For the financial years 2017-18 and 2018-19, what was the estimated cost and the actual cost of the involvement of these bodies in prescribed burning? (3) Do any of the departments, agencies and offices in (1) provide funding for prescribed burning to any other persons or entities: (a) if yes to (3): (i) to who and for what services; and (ii) how much was provided to or is estimated to be provided for each of the years 2017-18 and 2018-19?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 October 2019
Responded by
Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Emergency Services
Response time
9 days
(1) The Minister is responsible for the Department of Fire and Emergency Services that performs the following activities:
(2) The actual amount spent on prescribed burning carried out by DFES for the years requested:
Note: Prescribed burning is only one mechanism to mitigate bushfire risk. There are many other mitigation activities funded by DFES such as mechanical clearing and slashing to manage the risk of bushfire.
(3) Yes.
(i) DFES administers funding to local government and agencies to treat bushfire related risk. The State Government announced an additional $35 million over four years for bushfire mitigation, as a part of the rural fire reform package. This commitment significantly increased funding for mitigation works on state owned or managed land. Funding through the Emergency Services Levy was made available to treat risk in December 2018. This is in addition to the $15 million of Royalties for Regions funding running to 2019-20 that is accessible to local Governments in eligible areas that have an endorsed Bushfire Risk Management Plan.
Note: prescribed burning is only one mechanism to mitigate bushfire risk. There are many other mitigation activities funded by DFES such as mechanical clearing and slashing to manage the risk of bushfire.
(ii) 2017-18: Funding for mitigation works (ESL) was first made in December 2018.
2018-19: DFES estimates that it administered $30,200 to local government for prescribed burning activities, which is a small component of the mitigation activities performed to protect communities from the threat of bushfire.
(2) The actual amount spent on prescribed burning carried out by DFES for the years requested:
Note: Prescribed burning is only one mechanism to mitigate bushfire risk. There are many other mitigation activities funded by DFES such as mechanical clearing and slashing to manage the risk of bushfire.
(3) Yes.
(i) DFES administers funding to local government and agencies to treat bushfire related risk. The State Government announced an additional $35 million over four years for bushfire mitigation, as a part of the rural fire reform package. This commitment significantly increased funding for mitigation works on state owned or managed land. Funding through the Emergency Services Levy was made available to treat risk in December 2018. This is in addition to the $15 million of Royalties for Regions funding running to 2019-20 that is accessible to local Governments in eligible areas that have an endorsed Bushfire Risk Management Plan.
Note: prescribed burning is only one mechanism to mitigate bushfire risk. There are many other mitigation activities funded by DFES such as mechanical clearing and slashing to manage the risk of bushfire.
(ii) 2017-18: Funding for mitigation works (ESL) was first made in December 2018.
2018-19: DFES estimates that it administered $30,200 to local government for prescribed burning activities, which is a small component of the mitigation activities performed to protect communities from the threat of bushfire.
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