The real Opposition, the union movement, are again playing politics and seeking to scare Tasmanians with dangerous and false scaremongering.
The fact is the Hodgman Liberal Government’s record $28.5 million investment in the most comprehensive cross-tenure fuel reduction program in this State’s history means that Tasmania is better prepared than ever for the coming bushfire season.
There has been no cut to the frontline of the Tasmania Fire Service (TFS). In fact, we have invested an additional $1.5 million this year.
There has been no reduction in the building of new fire tankers.
There has been no reduction in the amount invested in the TFS’s proven community information and preparedness programs.
There has been no reduction in frontline TFS fire-fighting officers, and Forestry Tasmania (FT) also advises that it has recruited casual and temporary firefighters over the bushfire season to ensure they too are at full complement.
The reduction of machinery is a problem we inherited due to the Labor-Green shutdown of the forest industry. As in recent years, FT has contracted to fill this void, to ensure the same number of machines will be available as in previous years.
In addition, we have available the same number of aircraft to assist with firefighting as in previous years.
The union movement should be ashamed of its scaremongering, and should be working with the Government and the wider community on ensuring that Tasmania is united in facing the threat to life and property that bushfires pose.