❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding the eligibility criteria, timing, and reporting requirements for local governments accessing bushfire risk mitigation funding. The Minister provides details on the Mitigation Activity Fund (MAF) and its distribution.
AnsweredQoN 846Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL GOVERNMENT —
BUSHFIRE RISK MITIGATION
846. Hon RICK MAZZA to the minister representing the
Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the minister's
media release of 14 September titled ''Record $7.3 million to combat the
threat of catastrophic bushfires''.
(1) Can the
minister advise the eligibility criteria for local governments to access the
$500 000 of funding?
(2) Given that we
are fast approaching the ideal time to carry out mitigation measures, why is
the funding not available until ''later in the year''?
(3) Will the funding be available to
local governments on an annual basis?
(4) Which
other government agencies will have access to the nearly $1.2 million available
''to treat bushfire risks in areas such as unmanaged Crown reserves''?
(5) Are
local governments required to report their progress and reach set targets?
BUSHFIRE RISK MITIGATION
846. Hon RICK MAZZA to the minister representing the
Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the minister's
media release of 14 September titled ''Record $7.3 million to combat the
threat of catastrophic bushfires''.
(1) Can the
minister advise the eligibility criteria for local governments to access the
$500 000 of funding?
(2) Given that we
are fast approaching the ideal time to carry out mitigation measures, why is
the funding not available until ''later in the year''?
(3) Will the funding be available to
local governments on an annual basis?
(4) Which
other government agencies will have access to the nearly $1.2 million available
''to treat bushfire risks in areas such as unmanaged Crown reserves''?
(5) Are
local governments required to report their progress and reach set targets?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services
advises the following.
(1) The amount of
$500 000 in funding will be available through a second mitigation activity fund
competitive grant round planned for late 2018. The MAF competitive grants
program is accessible to local governments with a bushfire risk management plan
that has been endorsed by the Office of Bushfire Risk Management and can be
used for physical treatment works that mitigate extreme, very high and high
bushfire risk on state-held lands affecting regional town sites in Western Australia.
(2) MAF
competitive grant rounds are held regularly. The most recent round, awarded in
September 2018, supports treatment works that will be completed by June 2019.
MAF supports a variety of physical mitigation treatments, not all of which have
a seasonal window for completion. The upcoming funding round will allow local
governments that have recently received OBRM endorsement of their BRM plan to
access MAF. Previous funding was allocated to 15 local governments in February
2018, totalling $1.48 million.
(3) MAF has been
seeded with $15 million from the royalties for regions program and will be
distributed between 2016 and 2020. It is intended that MAF competitive grants
rounds will be held at least annually over the duration of the program.
(4) The
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and the Department of
Planning, Lands and Heritage received MAF support totalling $1.2 million in
September 2018 for treatment activities on unallocated crown land and unmanaged
reserves for mitigation of extreme, very high and high bushfire risk to
regional town sites in Western Australia. Additional government agencies with
these land management responsibilities will be eligible to apply for future MAF
support.
(5) MAF
competitive grant funding agreements establish reporting requirements for
recipient local governments. These include progress reports and both financial
acquittal and evaluation reporting. All treatments identified through MAF are
captured in DFES's bushfire risk management system. Relevant
information such as treatment objectives, treatment status and associated costs
are recorded and updated in the system by each local government.
some notice of the question. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services
advises the following.
(1) The amount of
$500 000 in funding will be available through a second mitigation activity fund
competitive grant round planned for late 2018. The MAF competitive grants
program is accessible to local governments with a bushfire risk management plan
that has been endorsed by the Office of Bushfire Risk Management and can be
used for physical treatment works that mitigate extreme, very high and high
bushfire risk on state-held lands affecting regional town sites in Western Australia.
(2) MAF
competitive grant rounds are held regularly. The most recent round, awarded in
September 2018, supports treatment works that will be completed by June 2019.
MAF supports a variety of physical mitigation treatments, not all of which have
a seasonal window for completion. The upcoming funding round will allow local
governments that have recently received OBRM endorsement of their BRM plan to
access MAF. Previous funding was allocated to 15 local governments in February
2018, totalling $1.48 million.
(3) MAF has been
seeded with $15 million from the royalties for regions program and will be
distributed between 2016 and 2020. It is intended that MAF competitive grants
rounds will be held at least annually over the duration of the program.
(4) The
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and the Department of
Planning, Lands and Heritage received MAF support totalling $1.2 million in
September 2018 for treatment activities on unallocated crown land and unmanaged
reserves for mitigation of extreme, very high and high bushfire risk to
regional town sites in Western Australia. Additional government agencies with
these land management responsibilities will be eligible to apply for future MAF
support.
(5) MAF
competitive grant funding agreements establish reporting requirements for
recipient local governments. These include progress reports and both financial
acquittal and evaluation reporting. All treatments identified through MAF are
captured in DFES's bushfire risk management system. Relevant
information such as treatment objectives, treatment status and associated costs
are recorded and updated in the system by each local government.
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