State fails to build promised fire refuges      :(

Date
    August 1, 2013


The state government has failed to build a single extra fire refuge four years after the Black Saturday bushfires.

Bushfires Royal Commission Implementation Monitor Neil Comrie also used his annual report to question the government target to burn 5 per cent of Victoria's public land to ease the fire risk, saying he is not convinced it is ''achievable, affordable or sustainable''.

Mr Comrie said it was a ''significant concern'' that not one extra fire shelter had been completed four years since the fires killed 173 people.      :(

''The fact that four years after Black Saturday there is still not one additional CFR (community fire refuge) available to the community as a last-resort shelter option is a matter of significant concern,'' Mr Comrie said.


''It may be timely to review the broader policy settings around the range of available bushfire shelter options,'' he said.

Victoria's only community fire refuge is located in an old gold rush mining tunnel at Woods Point, north-east of Melbourne.

Multiple sites at public schools have been studied and tested but nothing has been designated as a refuge at this time, with liability issues, maintenance, operation and construction problems adding to the delays.

The Coalition promised to implement all 67 of the commission's recommendations ''lock, stock and barrel''.

Emergency Services Minister Kim Wells said 47 of the recommendations had been delivered, with the remaining 20 subject to Mr Comrie's final annual report, due next year. He said building the shelters would take time.

"This is something that has never been done before and has required the development and testing of policy and operational procedures, building standard and design and significant vegetation management,'' Mr Wells said.

Opposition emergency services spokeswoman Jacinta Allan said the Napthine government made repeated commitments to high-risk communities that they would be protected with fire refuges.

''The Napthine government previously promised that four fire refuges would be ready before the 2012 fire season and then by the start of the 2013 school year,'' Ms Allan said. ''Now it appears they will not be operational for the start of this year's fire season.''   :(

Victorian National Parks Association spokesman Phil Ingamells said the statewide burn target of 390,000 hectares would harm biodiversity while doing little to protect high-risk towns.

Mr Comrie said it was disturbing that large sections of the community were already complacent about bushfires.

Fire officials found only 1.5 per cent of residents had left early on a code red day.



Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/state-fails-to-build-promised-fire-refuges-20130731-2qzlu.html#ixzz2al6CEsio

DOZENS of Victorian suburbs and towns remain overexposed to extreme bushfire risk this season because the Baillieu government failed to meet its targets to reduce fuel loads around the state's most vulnerable communities.

A leaked document has revealed the government's multimillion-dollar planned burning program - designed to burn off bushland to curb damaging fires - achieved only 16 per cent of its target in the densely populated central region, which includes 54 towns and suburbs assessed by the Country Fire Authority as facing extreme risk this summer.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment burnt only 1818 hectares of the 11,400 hectares it was aiming for in the central region, which covers Melbourne and its urban fringes, including the fire-prone Dandenongs and Yarra Ranges. But in the less-populated north-east, where 20 towns are at extreme risk, the department burnt 64,969 hectares, or 150 per cent of its goal

http://images.smh.com.au/ftsmh/ffximage/2009/02/10/bushfire13_gallery__592x400.jpg



Critics say the government is burning large areas of remote bushland to meet a royal commission target, but failing to prioritise the difficult and strategic burns around fire-prone communities.

''When the next really big fire happens, people won't ask 'did you meet the target'?, they will ask 'did you do the burning in key areas that reduce risk to life and property'?'' says La Trobe University zoology professor Mike Clarke.

Both Labor and the Coalition adopted the royal commission's recommendation to burn 5 per cent of public land, or 415,412 hectares annually, by 2013-2014, tripling planned burning across Victoria.


http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/state-fails-to-meet-fire-goal-20120122-1qc93.html#ixzz1kGlhiu4y







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvkI8c9eALQ&feature=relatedi
Baillieu failing over bushfire safety
Clay Lucas
December 14, 2011.


THE Baillieu government is failing to properly deliver on at least 10 key recommendations made by the royal commission on the 2009 bushfires, a new analysis shows.

The royal commission last year made 67 recommendations that it hoped would prevent Victorians ever again being left defenceless in the face of massive bushfires.

Premier Ted Baillieu and Bushfire Response Minister Peter Ryan - who repeatedly criticised former premier John Brumby for failing to act on every one of the recommendations - pledged while in opposition to implement them ''lock, stock and barrel''.


Now a ''scorecard'' on the royal commission's recommendations shows the government has so far:

■ Failed to put in place a working emergency alert system.

■ Not set up recommended ''safe places'' in half of the state's most bushfire-prone towns.

■ Not completed a register of vulnerable residents in bushfire-prone towns.

■ Proceeded with a far more limited buyback of land in bushfire zones than was promised.

Energy Minister Michael O'Brien also remains silent on the laying underground and the upgrading of power lines - although the government's response is promised by the end of the year.

Other recommendations that have not been completed are: creating enough incident control centres, fixing black spot radio coverage, and making sure firefighting crews have adequate helicopters and planes to fight a large-scale fire - and not enough has been done on arson prevention and on modifying building codes to make new homes safer from bushfires


http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/baillieu-failing-over-bushfire-safety-labor-20111213-1ot8a.html#ixzz1lCG46ZXM








The MESSAGE is - You're ON YOUR OWNi



http://greenicebergs.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kingslakefirepicture.jpgi

Too expensive, a $20 000 shelter would cost $250 000 if the governmnet was paying for it, just like the million dollar canteens and shelter sheds, best bet is to just get the f#ck out of there on high fire danger days.

Innocent bystander wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2013 at 10:11am:

Too expensive, a $20 000 shelter would cost $250 000 if the governmnet was paying for it

And this "reasoning" is how the Baillieu Napthine Government justify the reneging of the implementing all of the Royal Commission's recommendations - which were the centre-piece of their election manifesto ?

buzzanddidj wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2013 at 9:06am:

DOZENS of Victorian suburbs and towns remain overexposed to extreme bushfire risk this season because the Baillieu government failed to meet its targets to reduce fuel loads around the state's most vulnerable communities. A leaked document has revealed the government's multimillion-dollar planned burning program - designed to burn off bushland to curb damaging fires - achieved only 16 per cent of its target in the densely populated central region, which includes 54 towns and suburbs assessed by the Country Fire Authority as facing extreme risk this summer. The Department of Sustainability and Environment burnt only 1818 hectares of the 11,400 hectares it was aiming for in the central region, which covers Melbourne and its urban fringes, including the fire-prone Dandenongs and Yarra Ranges. But in the less-populated north-east, where 20 towns are at extreme risk, the department burnt 64,969 hectares, or 150 per cent of its goal http://images.smh.com.au/ftsmh/ffximage/2009/02/10/bushfire13_gallery__592x400.jpg Critics say the government is burning large areas of remote bushland to meet a royal commission target, but failing to prioritise the difficult and strategic burns around fire-prone communities. ''When the next really big fire happens, people won't ask 'did you meet the target'?, they will ask 'did you do the burning in key areas that reduce risk to life and property'?'' says La Trobe University zoology professor Mike Clarke. Both Labor and the Coalition adopted the royal commission's recommendation to burn 5 per cent of public land, or 415,412 hectares annually, by 2013-2014, tripling planned burning across Victoria. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/state-fails-to-meet-fire-goal-20120122-1qc93.html#ixzz1kGlhiu4y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvkI8c9eALQ&feature=relatedi Baillieu failing over bushfire safety Clay Lucas December 14, 2011. THE Baillieu government is failing to properly deliver on at least 10 key recommendations made by the royal commission on the 2009 bushfires, a new analysis shows. The royal commission last year made 67 recommendations that it hoped would prevent Victorians ever again being left defenceless in the face of massive bushfires. Premier Ted Baillieu and Bushfire Response Minister Peter Ryan - who repeatedly criticised former premier John Brumby for failing to act on every one of the recommendations - pledged while in opposition to implement them ''lock, stock and barrel''. Now a ''scorecard'' on the royal commission's recommendations shows the government has so far: ■ Failed to put in place a working emergency alert system. ■ Not set up recommended ''safe places'' in half of the state's most bushfire-prone towns. ■ Not completed a register of vulnerable residents in bushfire-prone towns. ■ Proceeded with a far more limited buyback of land in bushfire zones than was promised. Energy Minister Michael O'Brien also remains silent on the laying underground and the upgrading of power lines - although the government's response is promised by the end of the year. Other recommendations that have not been completed are: creating enough incident control centres, fixing black spot radio coverage, and making sure firefighting crews have adequate helicopters and planes to fight a large-scale fire - and not enough has been done on arson prevention and on modifying building codes to make new homes safer from bushfires http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/baillieu-failing-over-bushfire-safety-labor-20111213-1ot8a.html#ixzz1lCG46ZXM The MESSAGE is - You're ON YOUR OWNi http://greenicebergs.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kingslakefirepicture.jpg

I bet the Greens has something to do this  >:(
However, it is natural process for the Aussie bush to burn for regrowth.
I guess there is also be a short fall in surplus to meet community needs, but a budget surplus is not important these days I here.

De-registered User wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2013 at 11:40am:

buzzanddidj wrote on Aug 2nd, 2013 at 9:06am: DOZENS of Victorian suburbs and towns remain overexposed to extreme bushfire risk this season because the Baillieu government failed to meet its targets to reduce fuel loads around the state's most vulnerable communities. A leaked document has revealed the government's multimillion-dollar planned burning program - designed to burn off bushland to curb damaging fires - achieved only 16 per cent of its target in the densely populated central region, which includes 54 towns and suburbs assessed by the Country Fire Authority as facing extreme risk this summer. The Department of Sustainability and Environment burnt only 1818 hectares of the 11,400 hectares it was aiming for in the central region, which covers Melbourne and its urban fringes, including the fire-prone Dandenongs and Yarra Ranges. But in the less-populated north-east, where 20 towns are at extreme risk, the department burnt 64,969 hectares, or 150 per cent of its goal http://images.smh.com.au/ftsmh/ffximage/2009/02/10/bushfire13_gallery__592x400.jpg Critics say the government is burning large areas of remote bushland to meet a royal commission target, but failing to prioritise the difficult and strategic burns around fire-prone communities. ''When the next really big fire happens, people won't ask 'did you meet the target'?, they will ask 'did you do the burning in key areas that reduce risk to life and property'?'' says La Trobe University zoology professor Mike Clarke. Both Labor and the Coalition adopted the royal commission's recommendation to burn 5 per cent of public land, or 415,412 hectares annually, by 2013-2014, tripling planned burning across Victoria. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/state-fails-to-meet-fire-goal-20120122-1qc93.html#ixzz1kGlhiu4y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvkI8c9eALQ&feature=relatedi Baillieu failing over bushfire safety Clay Lucas December 14, 2011. THE Baillieu government is failing to properly deliver on at least 10 key recommendations made by the royal commission on the 2009 bushfires, a new analysis shows. The royal commission last year made 67 recommendations that it hoped would prevent Victorians ever again being left defenceless in the face of massive bushfires. Premier Ted Baillieu and Bushfire Response Minister Peter Ryan - who repeatedly criticised former premier John Brumby for failing to act on every one of the recommendations - pledged while in opposition to implement them ''lock, stock and barrel''. Now a ''scorecard'' on the royal commission's recommendations shows the government has so far: ■ Failed to put in place a working emergency alert system. ■ Not set up recommended ''safe places'' in half of the state's most bushfire-prone towns. ■ Not completed a register of vulnerable residents in bushfire-prone towns. ■ Proceeded with a far more limited buyback of land in bushfire zones than was promised. Energy Minister Michael O'Brien also remains silent on the laying underground and the upgrading of power lines - although the government's response is promised by the end of the year. Other recommendations that have not been completed are: creating enough incident control centres, fixing black spot radio coverage, and making sure firefighting crews have adequate helicopters and planes to fight a large-scale fire - and not enough has been done on arson prevention and on modifying building codes to make new homes safer from bushfires http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/baillieu-failing-over-bushfire-safety-labor-20111213-1ot8a.html#ixzz1lCG46ZXM The MESSAGE is - You're ON YOUR OWNi http://greenicebergs.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kingslakefirepicture.jpg I bet the Greens has something to do this  >:(

What an ILL-INFORMED - or just plain STUPID - statement

What representation in the Victorian houses of parliament do you think the GREENS actually HOLD ?

Maybe if those utterly useless pr1cks of the Brumby Government never signed us up to a completely pointless white elephant we might have more money to build fire refuges???

$24,000,000,000 of debt.


"Victoria's multibillion-dollar desalination plant could sit idle for the next three years, with the Napthine government telling the owners it does not expect to buy water before mid-2016.
Water Minister Peter Walsh on Wednesday announced the government would not order water from the Wonthaggi plant in 2013-14, saying that with Melbourne's dams almost 74 per cent full - about 10 per cent higher than this time last year - it was unnecessary.


The desalination plant was built under the former Brumby Labor government and will cost taxpayers between $19 billion and $24 billion to 2040, depending on how much water is ordered. It can produce up to 150 gigalitres of drinking water a year.
In 2013-14, the plant will cost Victorian taxpayers $649 million even without water ordered."


Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/desal-plant-could-sit-idle-for-three-years-20130327-2gtn6.html#ixzz2alsapTkT

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2013 at 12:15pm:

Maybe if those utterly useless pr1cks of the Brumby Government never signed us up to a completely pointless white elephant we might have more money to build fire refuges??? $24,000,000,000 of debt. "Victoria's multibillion-dollar desalination plant could sit idle for the next three years, with the Napthine government telling the owners it does not expect to buy water before mid-2016. Water Minister Peter Walsh on Wednesday announced the government would not order water from the Wonthaggi plant in 2013-14, saying that with Melbourne's dams almost 74 per cent full - about 10 per cent higher than this time last year - it was unnecessary. The desalination plant was built under the former Brumby Labor government and will cost taxpayers between $19 billion and $24 billion to 2040, depending on how much water is ordered. It can produce up to 150 gigalitres of drinking water a year. In 2013-14, the plant will cost Victorian taxpayers $649 million even without water ordered." Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/desal-plant-could-sit-idle-for-three-years-20130327-2gtn6.html#ixzz2alsapTkT

Baillieu announces Libs' water solution
Mathew Murphy
November 13, 2006



A desalination plant would be built under a Liberal government, with Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu describing the plan as a "major step" in securing Melbourne's water supply.

Mr Baillieu used yesterday's address at the Liberal Party campaign launch to announce the plans to build a desalination plant in the city's east or west.

Mr Baillieu said the plant, which would be funded by the state and federal governments and local water authorities, would deliver 145 million litres of fresh drinking water a day.

"The technology is available, it is proven we can do it here on a world scale and we will. Desalination will provide greater security for our water supplies in the future," he said.

Under a Liberal government, community consultation and feasibility studies would be undertaken next year, with the plant to be operational in 2010.

An environmental panel would be asked to consider whether to place the 50 gigalitre desalination plant at Hastings, on the Mornington Peninsula, or in Werribee.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/victoria-votes/doubts-over-libs-water-solution/2006/11/12/1163266413591.html



You CANNOT put a price on a guarantee of water supply in this country - ONE of the driest on EARTH
There is seriously lacking any education to migrants on drought pattern history in Australia - particularly, in Victoria - and what a precious commodity water really is

( ... but enough entertaining attempts to slide OFF TOPIC - it's BEEN covered PREVIOUSLY)

$24,000,000,000 of debt for a white elephant that has done NOTHING at all for Victoria but sit in mothballs.


What a monumental bugger up - and you wonder why the state has no fricken money??????

Obviously the answer is take shelter at the desal plant http://d26ya5yqg8yyvs.cloudfront.net/thumb.gif

Innocent bystander wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2013 at 2:26pm:

Obviously the answer is take shelter at the desal plant http://d26ya5yqg8yyvs.cloudfront.net/thumb.gif

Absolutely.

There's plenty of room because it won't be doing anything for years and years.

We'll be needing it soon, especially now that runaway global warming has caused a o degree per year rise in temperature for the last 17 years  ;D

ok...

for a start... some of these useless bloody communities need to take care of themselves and stop being so bloody retarded...

I've seen up in Marysville wooden houses being rebuilt...

well f*ck you moron... just burn to death then you complete and utter dipshit...

2: the Labor Party... who let 87 people die while going out to dinner.. said that they were not going to implement ANY of the recommendations.... so at least the liberals have done most of them...

3: ... what have the CFA done... ? ... the Libs have poured nearly an extra 200 million dollars into the CFA in their first year .. so what have they done with the money? an extra 100 to 130 million into their budgets last financial year.. where's the money gone?
they are pissing and moaning they are poor but where did all of this money go????

can someone please tell me... hundreds of Millions of dollars and not one smacking shelter? 

True Blue... wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2013 at 7:46pm:

ok... for a start... some of these useless bloody communities need to take care of themselves

Thats so 1950's, nobody takes care of themselves anymore, everything is the all encompassing governments responsibility  now  ;)