❓ Question regarding the effectiveness of $20 million in funding for prescribed burns and backlog reduction in WA state forests and national parks. The Minister expresses confidence in achieving targets within four years, but stops short of an absolute guarantee.
AnsweredQoN 448Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BUSHFIRES — PRESCRIBED BURNS —
ROYALTIES FOR REGIONS
448. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the Minister for
Environment:
I have a supplementary question. Is
the minister not able to give an assurance that the information that his
department gave Mr Ferguson is true—that the government not only would
be able to meet targets out of that $20 million, but also would be able to
catch up on the backlog?
ROYALTIES FOR REGIONS
448. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the Minister for
Environment:
I have a supplementary question. Is
the minister not able to give an assurance that the information that his
department gave Mr Ferguson is true—that the government not only would
be able to meet targets out of that $20 million, but also would be able to
catch up on the backlog?
AnswerView source ↗
I can say that that extra $20 million
has already made a significant difference.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : No, that is not correct at all, member for Cockburn. The
targets are not for just a single year—this is what I started to
explain right at the beginning. They run on a six-year rotation, with an aim to
have some 45 per cent of state forests and national parks carrying a fuel load
of six years or less. We currently carry somewhere around 35 per cent —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
A.P. JACOB : Over the next four years, with the extra funding that this
government has put in, yes, we are confident that we can address the backlog
and get it back up to where it should be, which is some 45 per cent of managed
lands throughout the south west carrying a fuel load of six years or less. Yes,
I am confident that we can. I cannot give an absolute guarantee but I am
confident, with that extra $20 million and given the results that we have
already seen this year, that over the next four years we have a very good
chance of achieving that target.
has already made a significant difference.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : No, that is not correct at all, member for Cockburn. The
targets are not for just a single year—this is what I started to
explain right at the beginning. They run on a six-year rotation, with an aim to
have some 45 per cent of state forests and national parks carrying a fuel load
of six years or less. We currently carry somewhere around 35 per cent —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
A.P. JACOB : Over the next four years, with the extra funding that this
government has put in, yes, we are confident that we can address the backlog
and get it back up to where it should be, which is some 45 per cent of managed
lands throughout the south west carrying a fuel load of six years or less. Yes,
I am confident that we can. I cannot give an absolute guarantee but I am
confident, with that extra $20 million and given the results that we have
already seen this year, that over the next four years we have a very good
chance of achieving that target.
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