Pinery Bushfires, Council Fees

In reply to the Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (12 April 2017).

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy): The Minister for Local Government advises:

The Pinery bushfire started on 25 November 2015 and burnt out 82,600 hectares of land in the Balaklava and Roseworthy area in South Australia's Mid North. Sadly two people lost their lives, and houses, businesses, equipment and livestock were damaged or destroyed.

The government's response to this disaster was fast and targeted, and was delivered in partnership with a wide range of commonwealth, state and local government agencies, not-for-profit organisations and the private sector.

1. The state government has always supported the waiving or reduction of fees in response to natural disasters. This occurred following the Eyre Peninsula bushfire in 2005, the Kangaroo Island fires in 2007, Sampson Flat fire in early 2015 and the Pinery bushfire in late November 2015.

Such an approach recognises that the re-establishment of damaged infrastructure and the rebuilding of homes is crucial for the emotional, social and physical wellbeing of a community. In regard to the Pinery bushfire, government agencies waived or reduced a range of fees for services, including the waste levy, replacement of documents and the preparation of revised valuations for affected properties. Direct financial assistance was also provided through grants.

In relation to fees associated with development and rebuilding, the government supports the waiving or reduction of these fees where it's practical to do so and there are demonstrated benefits to property owners. In most cases these fees are administered by the relevant council.

All of the councils impacted by the Pinery bushfires; the Light Regional Council, the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council, the Wakefield Regional Council and the Adelaide Plains Council responded to their communities' needs at the time by significantly reducing or waiving the relevant application fees. I'm advised that all of these councils continue to provide this support.

2. The government provided financial support to the victims of the bushfire via a range of initiatives. I'm advised that a Pinery Bushfire Recovery Grant was made available to eligible primary producers to provide short term, targeted assistance to reimburse clean-up and reinstatement costs not covered by insurance. Up to $10,000 was made available, with funds coming jointly from the Australian and South Australian governments.

As part of the government's response to the fire, the Lands Title Office waived the fee for the title search that councils must undertake for each development application that relates to damage from the Pinery fire. Further, I'm advised that the Valuer-General adjusted the property valuations used to calculate rates in the current (2016-17) financial year to reflect the impact of the fires on affected properties.

3. The government supports the waiving or reduction of fees associated with development and rebuilding in areas impacted by natural disasters. In most cases these fees are administered by the relevant council and, as demonstrated with the Pinery fires, all councils reduced or waived these fees without the need for statutory direction.

The actions of the councils and the government in dealing with natural disasters has been appropriate and effective in supporting those impacted by natural disasters within the existing legislative framework.