❓ Ms. Quirk questions the Minister for Planning on the delay in implementing recommendations 3 and 4 of the Keelty report regarding bushfire-prone area declarations and planning guidelines. The Minister assures action is being taken, citing complexity and inter-agency considerations.
AnsweredQoN 699Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
KEELTY
REPORT — RECOMMENDATIONS 3 AND 4
699. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the Minister for
Planning:
I refer to recommendations 3 and 4 of the Keelty report into the Perth
hills bushfire that recommended respectively that the state government transfer
responsibilities for declaring bushfire-prone areas from local government to
the Western Australian Planning Commission and that the state government give
legislative effect to the planning for bushfire protection guidelines.
(1) Why have these recommendations not been
delivered more than two years after this report was tabled?
(2) When will they be delivered?
(3) Is there any intention to act on these recommendations?
REPORT — RECOMMENDATIONS 3 AND 4
699. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the Minister for
Planning:
I refer to recommendations 3 and 4 of the Keelty report into the Perth
hills bushfire that recommended respectively that the state government transfer
responsibilities for declaring bushfire-prone areas from local government to
the Western Australian Planning Commission and that the state government give
legislative effect to the planning for bushfire protection guidelines.
(1) Why have these recommendations not been
delivered more than two years after this report was tabled?
(2) When will they be delivered?
(3) Is there any intention to act on these recommendations?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) Yes; there certainly is
intention to act, and action is being taken. The issue is not as simple as it
may appear at first sight. The response to the Keelty report has been
coordinated by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet over the last two
years. In relation to the specific questions of declaring areas as
bushfire-prone and exactly how that occurs, the main issue is which agency is
the most appropriate one to have that responsibility. Obviously, the WA Planning
Commission is one clear possibility, but it does not have legislative authority
to do so at the moment. Obviously, that could be changed if that is what is
considered to be the most appropriate course of action. The Planning Commission
would necessarily rely on information and advice from other agencies, in
particular the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. We need to make a
decision on whether it is more appropriate for DFES to have that responsibility
or the Department of Local Government and Communities and/or local governments,
which have a strong role to play. It is a complex issue. It is certainly being
actively worked on at the moment, and I hope we will have a decision within
government soon.
The essence of the issue is which agency is the most appropriate to
make that declaration and to deal with the issue. The suggestion I heard
through the media last week from the opposition that we have not acted on this
matter because of concern about property values is not the case at all. The
whole report has been taken seriously by the government. This particular aspect
is being dealt with carefully and thoroughly to ensure we make the most
appropriate decisions, and I hope we will have a decision soon.
intention to act, and action is being taken. The issue is not as simple as it
may appear at first sight. The response to the Keelty report has been
coordinated by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet over the last two
years. In relation to the specific questions of declaring areas as
bushfire-prone and exactly how that occurs, the main issue is which agency is
the most appropriate one to have that responsibility. Obviously, the WA Planning
Commission is one clear possibility, but it does not have legislative authority
to do so at the moment. Obviously, that could be changed if that is what is
considered to be the most appropriate course of action. The Planning Commission
would necessarily rely on information and advice from other agencies, in
particular the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. We need to make a
decision on whether it is more appropriate for DFES to have that responsibility
or the Department of Local Government and Communities and/or local governments,
which have a strong role to play. It is a complex issue. It is certainly being
actively worked on at the moment, and I hope we will have a decision within
government soon.
The essence of the issue is which agency is the most appropriate to
make that declaration and to deal with the issue. The suggestion I heard
through the media last week from the opposition that we have not acted on this
matter because of concern about property values is not the case at all. The
whole report has been taken seriously by the government. This particular aspect
is being dealt with carefully and thoroughly to ensure we make the most
appropriate decisions, and I hope we will have a decision soon.
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