Today’s total fire ban in the Mallee is a stark reminder that the fire season isn’t coming — it’s here, and Premier Allan has already declared it “one of the most dangerous in years.”
Yet 350 Forest Fire Management Victoria appliances remain offline due to a fault, and Minister for Environment, Steve Dimopoulos, in Parliament today again failed to provide any answers on when Victorians can expect the full fleet back online.
Shadow Minister for Public Land Management, Melina Bath, has also warned that planned burns have been slashed to just one per cent of public land, saying the government is leaving regional communities dangerously exposed.
“Over the past 10 years, Labor has reduced fuel loads by just one per cent per annum despite the Bushfire Royal Commission setting a five per cent annual target,” Ms Bath said.
“At the very moment Victoria should be preparing for a dangerous fire season, this government has failed woefully to reduce fuel loads and protect Victorians.”
Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Emergency Services, Danny O’Brien, said Labor’s failures were putting lives at risk.
“Victorians deserve a government that prepares for fire seasons, not one that hides the truth,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Instead of fixing the crisis, Labor is hurting families with its $3 billion emergency services tax while begging NSW and South Australia for decommissioned fire trucks.
“Under a Liberals and Nationals Government, we will abolish Labor’s emergency services tax and restore full confidence in Victoria’s firefighting capability.”
Labor can’t manage emergency services and Victorians are paying the price.
