❓ Dr. Walker questions the government on hempcrete bushfire shelters and bushfire preparedness in the South West, given increased fire risk. The government outlines existing programs and regulations.
AnsweredQoN 811Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Hempcrete bushfire shelters
811. Hon Dr Brian Walker to the minister representing the Minister for Emergency
Services:
I refer the minister
to Australia's National Climate Risk Assessment ,
released last month, and specifically to the data relating to fire risk, noting
that the South West region of WA is likely to be hardest hit of all Australian
regions in terms of bushfires. I also note that I first raised the potential
for hempcrete bushfire shelters with the government in December 2021.
(1) What investigative work, if any, has the
government undertaken into the suitability of hempcrete as a bushfire survival
tool in the four years since I first raised the matter?
(2) What plans are in place to assist residents of
the South West with the increased, and increasing, level of bushfire risk under
which they live?
(3) Given that a
federal Labor government has released such a damning report on the negative
impacts of climate change that we can expect to suffer in the coming years,
what practical steps is the Cook Labor government taking to tackle the
corporate ecoterrorism that has led us to this cliff edge?
811. Hon Dr Brian Walker to the minister representing the Minister for Emergency
Services:
I refer the minister
to Australia's National Climate Risk Assessment ,
released last month, and specifically to the data relating to fire risk, noting
that the South West region of WA is likely to be hardest hit of all Australian
regions in terms of bushfires. I also note that I first raised the potential
for hempcrete bushfire shelters with the government in December 2021.
(1) What investigative work, if any, has the
government undertaken into the suitability of hempcrete as a bushfire survival
tool in the four years since I first raised the matter?
(2) What plans are in place to assist residents of
the South West with the increased, and increasing, level of bushfire risk under
which they live?
(3) Given that a
federal Labor government has released such a damning report on the negative
impacts of climate change that we can expect to suffer in the coming years,
what practical steps is the Cook Labor government taking to tackle the
corporate ecoterrorism that has led us to this cliff edge?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me
by the Minister for Emergency Services.
(1) The state government does not promote specific
products.
(2) The Department of Fire and Emergency Services
has a number of programs in place to reduce bushfire risk, strengthen
preparedness and build community resilience statewide. This includes an
advisory role in the land-use planning and building standard regulations
processes through the application of State
Planning Policy 3.7 Bushfire ; the development of the state bushfire
mitigation capability to undertake additional bushfire mitigation works on
crown land; the implementation of the bushfire risk management planning program
in partnership with local governments across the region; and the Mitigation
Activity Fund Grant Program to fund on-ground bushfire mitigation treatments
undertaken by local governments. There are also community preparedness
initiatives, such as the My Bushfire Plan; the disability inclusive emergency
planning program; a community preparedness adviser, who works with stakeholders
and communities throughout the South West to assist them to prepare for
bushfire; and the annual DFES "Got 15 Minutes to Burn?" campaign,
designed to increase bushfire awareness across the state by identifying
personal risk and encouraging Western Australians to consider and build their
bushfire plan.
(3) The environmental impact of projects is subject
to regulation under the Environmental Protection Act
1986 .
for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me
by the Minister for Emergency Services.
(1) The state government does not promote specific
products.
(2) The Department of Fire and Emergency Services
has a number of programs in place to reduce bushfire risk, strengthen
preparedness and build community resilience statewide. This includes an
advisory role in the land-use planning and building standard regulations
processes through the application of State
Planning Policy 3.7 Bushfire ; the development of the state bushfire
mitigation capability to undertake additional bushfire mitigation works on
crown land; the implementation of the bushfire risk management planning program
in partnership with local governments across the region; and the Mitigation
Activity Fund Grant Program to fund on-ground bushfire mitigation treatments
undertaken by local governments. There are also community preparedness
initiatives, such as the My Bushfire Plan; the disability inclusive emergency
planning program; a community preparedness adviser, who works with stakeholders
and communities throughout the South West to assist them to prepare for
bushfire; and the annual DFES "Got 15 Minutes to Burn?" campaign,
designed to increase bushfire awareness across the state by identifying
personal risk and encouraging Western Australians to consider and build their
bushfire plan.
(3) The environmental impact of projects is subject
to regulation under the Environmental Protection Act
1986 .
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