Shock decision: talks breakdown between council and firies on hazard reduction burns

Council is furious after a shock decision by the State Government to pull out of providing support for its firies for hazard reduction burns.

COUNCIL is furious after a shock decision by the State Government to pull out of providing support for its firies for hazard reduction burns.

Recommendations from a committee meeting held in closed session today reveal Mayor Tom Tate will write to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk asking the government to reconsider its decision.

The fire front at Beechmont, Gold Coast Hinterland during November bushfires. Picture: Aaron Kearney

The council believes the decision is not in keeping with the Royal Commission into the 2009 Victorian bushfires which showed hazard reduction burns could have prevented some of the 173 lives being lost.

The existing contract between council and the State, signed off until 2022, had led to training and employment for both local urban and rural fire brigades, and helped in local planning and risk assessment.

Councillors in their recommendations asked the Premier and the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service to reconsider its position.

They want council to resume talks with firies to “renew the contract beyond June 2022 for a further ten years plus five years”.

Council officers will prepare a report on the outcome of talks and possible options if a new contract is not signed off on.

Lifestyle committee chairman Herman Vorster told The Bulletin: “It can’t even really be about money we hope, given that council has resolved to increase its investment in the partnership. It’s not a product of us walking away financially.

“It’s one of those rare examples of a desire for the council and the State to work more closely and make more of a financial contribution together.”

Cr Vorster believes the partnership between the State and council gives householders security.

Councillor Hermann Vorster hopes the hazard reduction burn program can continue. Picture: Jerad Williams.

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“Without that partnership we would need to find somebody to fill the void that otherwise taken up by the fireys,” he said.

“If you were receiving a knock at the door in connection with a backburn project, we are simply of the view it’s better that it’s a firey or city officer knocking on the door than anyone else. It’s a comfort to the resident but it’s also comfort to us as city councillors, we’ve got the right people there.”

Councillors in February wanted council to employ a permanent backburning team to help prevent a repeat of last year’s horrific bushfires in the Gold Coast hinterland.

They had organised for the briefing by senior QFES officers after fire ripped through nine homes and the historic Binna Burra Mountain lodge and its cabins last September.

Map of Gold Coast fire zones

Updated mapping shows about 51,051ha, or 37 per cent, of the Coast region is judged to be a very high, high or medium bushfire hazard and another 26,329ha, about 19 per cent, is within a 100m potential impact buffer of the hazard.

Fire and Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford said the QFES had a contract with council to provide bushfire mitigation services until 30 June 2022.

QFES would honour this contract but does not plan to retender for this work given these services could also be provided by other parties, Mr Crawford said.

All other local government areas in Queensland use alternative arrangements to manage bushfire risks on their land, including their own personnel or private providers, he said.

Decisions on managing bushfire risks in the Gold Coast local government area rests with City of Gold Coast Council as the landowner, Mr Crawford said.

QFES says it will continue to support the council following the expiry of the contract, through existing disaster management arrangements and the local Area Fire Management Group.