Sorensen slams blaze dismissal

ON the eve of Environment Minister Vicky Darling’s visit her dismissal of widespread anger over the blaze on Fraser Island recently has been slammed.

ON the eve of Environment Minister Vicky Darling's visit to Fraser Island her dismissal of widespread public anger over the out of control blaze on Fraser Island recently has been slammed by Member for Hervey Bay Ted Sorensen.

Mr Sorensen said he was astounded Ms Darling had dismissed the public concern.

"We're not talking about a controlled burn - we're talking about a fire that should never have been lit this time of year," Mr Sorensen said.

"It raged and got away during the middle of the Queensland school holidays and put the lives of tourists at risk.

"Lessons should have been learned from last year's out of control fire that burnt 20,000 hectares. But sadly, no amount of bell-ringing evidence will make this tired government admit mistakes, let alone pledge to never repeat them."

Mr Sorensen said Ms Darling had stated controlled burns were not undertaken during school holidays.

"Labor and Ms Darling are woefully out of touch with the real world and community and visitor sentiment with what happened on Fraser - during the school holidays when tourists and interstate holiday-makers had to run for their lives."

Mr Sorensen said Ms Darling failed to acknowledge that school holidays in New South Wales and Victoria followed Queensland by a week and school holidays for the ACT and South Australia started October 1.

 "My office was inundated with complaints from concerned tourists who feared for their lives when the raging fire was licking at their vehicles", Mr Sorensen said

Originally published as Sorensen slams blaze dismissal