Commission Misses the Burning Issues

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WE were all appalled by the death and destruction from the Victorian bushfires early this year.
Nearly 200 people died on Black Saturday.   The number of koalas incinerated probably runs into the thousands, the number of native birds dead in the millions. 

A Royal Commission was established with the Victorian Government promising an inclusive process with the broadest possible terms of reference. 

But non-government experts with local knowledge and experience of bushfires had been advised their testimonies will not necessarily be heard. 

To be specific, lawyers acting for the Royal Commission have advised the Institute of Foresters of Australia, the Bushfire Front Inc, and Forest Fires Victoria, that it does not wish to grant them leave to appear before the Commission. 

To quote Roger Underwood, a former General Manager of the Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM):  the net effect  is that the Commission will not hear from any of the three independent professional organisations with experience in bushfire management, fire science, research and administration. 
All three organisations will, of course, be making written submissions, but these lack the impact of a face-to-face presentation.

Judging from the list of those organisations that have been given the nod to appear, including the Housing Industry Association, Australian Institute of Architects Victorian Chapter, Telstra, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the focus of the commission will be on communications and new standards for buildings.  These are important issues, but we can’t ignore the old adage prevention is better than cure.

Not even environmental groups are now denying that inadequate fuel reduction burning might be an issue.  
But who is going to ask the really hard questions at the commission including why even the relatively modest targets set for controlled burning in Victorian forests were not met over recent years?

The Royal Commission will hear from many government departments, but can you imagine the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment admitting that not enough control burns were undertaken?

I predict that the bureaucrats are more likely to revert to popular mythology and perhaps blame global warming – for everything.

Published in The Land

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