Matter of urgency
17 October 2023
I’d also like to speak on Senator Pocock’s motion on the need for greater investment in technology to assist Australian communities fighting bushfires. I thank Senator Pocock for bringing this very important issue to the Senate’s attention. Australia was given an unwelcome reminder of the risk and impact of bushfires just a couple of weeks ago in my home state, Victoria, where out-of-control fires threatened lives and many homes in Gippsland. Fires caused power outages, destroyed at least one home and triggered several evacuations.
Communities in Gippsland are, sadly, all too familiar and aware of the threat that bushfires pose after the devastating Black Summer fires in 2019-20. These bushfires should have served as a stark warning to governments about the need for greater investment in bushfire preparedness. Let’s also not forget the $4 billion emergency response fund that was set up under the coalition. At the time the $4 billion fund may have looked a good number on a media release, but sadly, three years after being established, the emergency response fund had not actually spent one single dollar on disaster mitigation projects.
In the Albanese government’s first 12 months the government has paid out more than $2.7 billion in recovery and resilience programs and payments to support individuals and communities impacted by natural disasters, which of course include bushfires. This isn’t just about the immediate effect of protecting Australian communities from natural disasters. It is also smart fiscal policy, because we know that every dollar spent on disaster risk reduction gives an estimated $9.60 return on our investment. This makes sense: mitigating disasters doesn’t just save lives and property; it also reduces the size and cost of the recovery.
The government has also taken the significant step of creating one unified National Emergency Management Agency. Under the leadership of the Coordinator-General, we are also building the first ever national emergency stockpile to supplement state, territory and local resources of emergency housing, water, purification equipment and other necessities. In terms of immediate relief for communities impacted by bushfires, just last week the Minister for Emergency Management, Senator Watt, along with his Victorian state counterpart minister, Jaclyn Symes, announced the availability of funds to eight Victorian communities under the jointly funded Commonwealth-state disaster recovery funding arrangements. These funds enable councils to undertake a range of relief and recovery activities, such as the establishment and operation of relief centres. The support also provides funding for counter-disaster operations carried out by councils to make residential properties safe, and emergency works to urgently restore transport infrastructure and the reconstruction of essential public assets like roads, bridges and footpaths.
In terms of the specific technology referred to in the motion, the government invests $30.8 million every year in aerial firefighting. It has requested the National Aerial Firefighting Centre to undertake research on what is the best practice for the mix of aircraft and technology. It’s also worth highlighting that there is no single system or capability that addresses fire detection or suppression. The states and territories have the primary responsibility for raising and maintaining capability for emergency management and fire response. The Australian government determines what is required to support the states and territories. So it’s important that we listen to the experts on the ground and our partners in the state and territory governments on what technologies will be most effective for managing bushfires.
The use of remotely piloted aircrafts for emergency management is a rapidly evolving area, and an assessment has been undertaken of emerging technologies to support the application of remotely piloted aircrafts. This is another example of how the Albanese government is working with our state and territory partners to boost investment in disaster resilience. This is the collaborative approach that we will continue to take as we face difficult conditions this summer.
