Wednesday the 28th of October marked the official beginning of the 2009-10 Victorian bushfire season. All Victorians and Australians are bound to reflect on the tragic loss of life caused by the February 7 Victorian bushfires at this time. The lasting effect of the devastation to individuals, families and communities remains unfathomable.
Many CFMEU FFPD members live in regional areas and are actively involved in their communities and through their civic spirit, armed with special expertise and knowledge of public land terrain and forest management they are often at the forefront of fire prevention activities and fire fighting. CFMEU FFPD members are community leaders and emergency service volunteers within their local communities. CFMEU members demonstrated their community vigour by collectively exceeding the unions’ target of a $1 million contribution to the Victorian bushfire appeal. The CFMEU FFPD wish our members, their families and their communities’ the utmost safeness and wellbeing over the following months.
In the tragic bushfires one CFMEU FFPD member lost their life and many more lost their homes, properties and livelihoods. The CFMEU FFPD made a submission on behalf of our members in fire affected communities from Narbethong, Kinglake, Alexandra, Taggerty, Churchill, Drouin, Marysville and Murrinidindi to the Victorian Royal Commission into the 2009 Victorian Bushfires. We will await the final report from the Commissioners to see the extent to which our key recommendations are suggested to be integrated into public policy for the prevention of further catastrophic bushfires in the future. The Royal Commission’s final report is due to in July 2010 and it is likely that the CFMEU FFPD will appear before the Commission in order to address matters contained within the submission.
The CFMEU FFPD’s recommendations to the Commission point out that the recent reduction in timber harvesting not only increased the likelihood of a major fire but also hindered the response and adequate containment and suppression of the devastating event and that a healthy and sustainable timber harvesting industry is vital to any fuel reduction and suppression regime. The CFMEU FFPD also pointed out the need for levels of fuel reduction burning to increase in the cooler months of the year.
Of relevance to the context of the current fire season, public policy makers may wish to consider the CFMEU FFPD’s recommendation that the forestry industry and the skills and knowledge of its workers be given recognition as being vital and responsible actors within forest and fire management. The role of timber workers with local knowledge of topography, vegetation, access routes and bush familiarity has proven of immeasurable value when properly utilised. The number of timber workers with these specialist skills and local knowledge has diminished due to the vast reduction of harvestable native forests so the efficient usage of the timber workers is vital. We have also asked the Commission to recommend support from Government to the industry to ensure that the industry can viably continue to maintain vehicle access tracks and associated infrastructure, and provide assistance in both manpower and machinery. The Government may wish to consider what can be done in these regards prior to the Royal Commission delivering its final recommendations given that there is potential for a catastrophic fire event to again occur between now and July 2010.
The CFMEU FFPD encourages all of our members to consider the recommendations outlined in the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Interim Report as released in August by the Royal Commission. Readers may consider incorporating the recommendations into their individual, families’, and/or community’s respective fire plans. Vigilance is as important now as ever, particularly as many long term preventative measures which could mitigate the effects of catastrophic bushfires in the future are yet to be fully considered or reported by the Royal Commission such as those that were outlined by the CFMEU FFPD in its submission.
THE CFMEU FFPD once again wishes to extend you the very best wishes over the hotter months this season and have included some resources below for you to consider in your current and future fire preparations.
• 2009 VICTORIAN BUSHFIRES ROYAL COMMISSION SUBMISSION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION, FORESTRY AND FURNISHING PRODUCTS, MAY 2009
http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Submissions/SubmissionDocuments/SUBM-002-029-0352_R.pdf
• 2009 VICTORIAN BUSHFIRES ROYAL COMMISSION INTERIM REPORT, AUGUST 2009
http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Interim-Report/Interactive-Version
• 2009 VICTORIAN BUSHFIRES ROYAL COMMISSION INTERIM REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/getdoc/a19c8100-3ae9-43bc-896f-57cbe35ca680/Executive-summary
