Penola Fire Tower

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (15:08): My question is to the Minister for Forest Industries. Will the minister update the council about the recently opened Penola fire tower and the role it will play in protecting the state's forest assets in South Australia?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:09): I thank the member for his question. I am very pleased to update the chamber with news of the Penola fire tower, formerly named Penola North. Construction has now been completed and it is in full operation. This is the final part of a partnership between the state government and the forest industry, which has seen an overall investment of almost $5 million in landscape-level fire detection that will help protect the forest estate and over 21,000 direct and indirect jobs that the industry supports and, of course, all residents in the region, who face the threat of bushfires during our summer seasons in particular.

I understand the original Penola fire tower was over 100 years old and had been deemed simply not safe enough to operate and so needed to be dismantled and rebuilt. The new tower was constructed in partnership with local Limestone Coast businesses and delivered in collaboration with the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub and OneFortyOne Plantations. Unlike the fire towers at Comaun, Mount Benson, The Bluff, Furner, Mount Burr, Carpenter Rocks, Lucindale South and Cave Range, which have all been installed with AI ultra-HD 360° panoramic cameras to detect fires early before they spread, this fire tower is being staffed during the fire season at the request of industry.

In December, I had the opportunity to join the hardworking local member for MacKillop along with the Chief Executive Officer of the South Australian Forest Products Association in climbing the 13-storey, newly constructed fire tower at the official opening, and I also had the great privilege to undertake the first radio transmission to the fire tower base.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I was concerned that going up the 13 storeys of stairs I may be lagging behind everyone else but I was glad to see that we all kind of just kept on keeping on, and so it did not take too much time to make it up the 13 flights! It was particularly impressive to look out at the top of the tower across the expansive plantation estate that it is protecting. From the top, you are able to view valuable agricultural land as far as the eye can see.

The commissioning of the Penola fire tower marked a significant step towards the industry's fire protection efforts. We know, obviously, that fire protection is important to all, and we are pleased to be working with industry in ensuring our forest and other agricultural commodities are protected from the dangers of bushfires because, as we know, fire does not discriminate.

That is why the state government has invested $2.34 million in upgrading our fire towers and overall has seen investment of close to $5 million with the co-contribution from industry. Importantly, the Limestone Coast fire tower system contributes to a broader 15-camera station detection network managed by the forest industry throughout the wider Green Triangle region. I am also pleased to confirm all fire towers are now upgraded and in full operation.

We know that early detection is key, and it is critical to identify and extinguish any potential fires as quickly as possible to protect the community and the region's 176,000 hectares of plantation estate. If a fire were to start in any forest plantation in South Australia, it would present a billion dollar risk to the industry and regional South Australia. Fire also puts at risk the forest's sequestration of over 4.5 million tonnes of CO₂ each year from the atmosphere, which contributes towards a cleaner and greener future.

We know that the South-East like every other region in our state is experiencing drought and dry conditions and that we will need to remain on high alert throughout this current season. I would like to thank both the Green Triangle Fire Alliance and OneFortyOne Plantations for the work they have done in ensuring the completion of the Penola fire tower in time for this current year's season.