The Hodgman Government has already taken action in the wake of the devastating bushfires earlier this year.
The Government invested $250,000 for a research project to investigate bushfire risk in Tasmania’s wilderness areas, and to strengthen our wilderness firefighting techniques.
The firefighting response was also reviewed by the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC), a report voluntarily commissioned by the Tasmanian Fire Service, Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry Tasmania, as the relevant firefighting agencies.
That report said that criticism of Tasmania’s response to the fires was largely misplaced, and identified 12 recommendations that provided suggestions and guidance on system improvement although no major systemic failings were identified.
This work is already contributing to improving our ability to manage fire in these significant areas and we will continue to work closely with the Australian Government in relation to the ongoing management of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
We will now closely consider the recommendations from the Senate report. However, it should be noted this was a Labor-Green dominated inquiry whose default response is to spend millions and demand our natural areas be locked up.
More Media Releases from the Minister for Environment, Parks and Heritage