House of Assembly Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2) 51 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Bills Native Vegetation (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill NATIVE VEGETATION (MISCELLANEOUS) AMENDMENT BILL Second Reading Second Reading Adjourned debate on second reading. (Continued from 19 June 2008. Page 3693.) The Hon. G.M. GUNN House of Assembly Stuart The Hon. G.M. GUNN (Stuart) (11:06): Mr Speaker— Members interjecting: The Hon. G.M. GUNN House of Assembly The Hon. G.M. GUNN: Would you like me to take my usual action and speak at great length? On a previous occasion, I indicated that the member for Fisher unfortunately appears to have read a different set of rules in relation to bushfire control and management. He criticised me at length for my attitude. I point out to the member for Fisher and other members that, if we have another of these disasters, those who have stood in the way of allowing land managers to take proper and responsible preventive measures will have to carry a very heavy responsibility. To say that firebreaks are not necessary and do not do any good is an absolute nonsense. Obviously the honourable member has never been involved in controlled burning-off operations or effective bushfire containment measures. The provisions I put to the house were put in good faith. They are absolutely essential and necessary. I urge the house to support them and to do so in the interest of all South Australians, because the cost to the taxpayer of not putting forward these particular proposals will be horrendous. The disruption to communities and the danger to life is considerable. I commend the bill to the house. I will not be forcing it to a division, but I will be bringing this bill back to the parliament during the next session so that we can have a full and frank debate and, hopefully, the government will see the wisdom of what I am putting forward now that we will have the Minister for Environment and Conservation in this chamber and, hopefully, he has a grasp of the problems. Second reading negatived.