Fire risk: Nillumbik Council moves to ban private fireworks displays

Private fireworks displays have sparked community controversy in Melbourne’s northeast for years, and Nillumbik Council is a step closer to banning them in some of its most fire-prone areas. But the move has been met with some criticism.

Sharon Murdoch, Jan Saunders and Mel Ellis fear private firework displays pose too big a risk during the fire danger period. They are supporting the council’s move to regulate private pyrotechnic shows in the rural parts of Nillumbik.

Nillumbik Council is one step closer to creating a new local law which gives it the power to ban fireworks on private properties.

It comes after the CFA approved a fireworks display for a private party in St Andrews in January — just three weeks before the 10-year anniversary of Black Saturday.

The council has proposed to be the governing body instead, following fierce backlash against the CFA decision.

The council is looking at two proposals and is seeking community feedback before it votes on the matter.

The Fireworks Local Law 2019 would allow fireworks on private property outside of the urban growth boundary, subject to obtaining a permit.

But the proposed law would prohibit the council from granting a permit for fireworks during the fire danger period.

An alternative draft local law would completely prohibit fireworks on private property outside the urban growth boundary at any time.

Cottles Bridge resident Mel Ellis said private fireworks had caused angst in the community for the past three years.

“It’s time to end that anguish and putting this local law up for community consultation is the right thing to do,” she said.

“For three years the community has been desperately needing to have some sort of input in this issue and now we can finally have that conversation at public level and council level.”

Mayor Karen Egan said landholders had to return from their holidays to secure their livestock before the start of a controversial private fireworks display in St Andrews on January 19.

“This isn’t just an issue about fire danger this is an issue about our animals both domestic and native,” she said.

“It’s also a massive issue about the mental health of our residents out there suffering from post traumatic stress disorder after Black Saturday.

“We’ve got residents in that area that had to come back from holidays to move livestock and we’ve got aged residents who don’t have the means to move livestock so they were incredibly stressed.”

While Cr Peter Clarke supported the council’s move, he said it should not be the responsibility of local government.

“It would be a preferred outcome if we actually had a state law that dealt with regulating private fireworks,” he said.

“Given the bushfire-prone nature of a lot of Victoria there are various parts of the state where you can let off fireworks and you don’t need a permit, you don’t need anything and it is bizarre.”

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Melbourne Fireworks director Arthur Katsis said management of pyrotechnics was “over-regulated” in Victoria.

And he said “more and more” councils were trying to create new local laws which banned private fireworks displays in “any circumstance”.

“If people want a fireworks display they should have that right,” Mr Katsis said.

“We notify all the authorities, obtain all permits, have insurance in place, licensed pyrotechnics on scene and we notify residents.

“We do everything we need to — it’s all in place so why clamp down on something that is already over-regulated.”

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning has been contacted for comment.

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