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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-10-13 Daily Xml
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BUSHFIRE PLANNING

Mr KENYON (Newland) (15:20): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. How is the government ensuring that South Australia has effective coordinated systems ready to deal with any potential emergency situation this bushfire season?

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee—Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:21): On 7 October, South Australia's police and emergency services put themselves to the test, dealing with a mock incident similar to that which occurred during the Black Saturday fires in Victoria. The simulation involved a scenario of catastrophic fire weather across most of the state and, during this period, the ignition of eight significant fires in the Mount Lofty Ranges, Lower Mid North, South-East, Riverland, Flinders, Yorke Peninsula, Lower Eyre Peninsula and West Coast fire districts. This was a robust, no holds barred test of our state's capacity to deal with a major emergency incident.

I visited the State Emergency Centre on the morning of the exercise and witnessed firsthand the exacting and professional manner in which the men and women of our police, fire and emergency services controlled and coordinated responding agencies across the state to this fictional catastrophic event. The atmosphere in the centre was palpable, as it was plain to see that Exercise Team Spirit 09 provided the state emergency services with valuable experience and insight into how they would respond to such a major threat.

While we were fortunate last year to escape similar fires to those that tragically occurred in Victoria, we must remember that the 2009 bushfire season is rapidly approaching and we must ensure we are as prepared as possible. Emergency preparedness is something the state government takes very seriously. The exercise was conducted to ensure that South Australia has effective, coordinated systems ready to deal with any potential emergency situation.

Other measures taken by the South Australian government include: $15.9 million for an Erickson air-crane to be based in South Australia during the fire danger season; $150 million for a digital upgrade of the government radio network; $12.4 million to establish and roll out a telephone based emergency warning system; a new national six-tier fire danger rating system, which includes a new category of catastrophic code red to warn communities of the risk of fires that are unpredictable, uncontrollable and fast moving; new native vegetation regulations that allow people to clear native vegetation within 20 metres of a building without approval; and increase cold burns, with a total of 28 prescribed burns proposed for spring 2009 and autumn 2010 seasons, covering a total area of 864 hectares.

Whilst the state government and emergency services are doing everything possible to be prepared for the upcoming bushfire season, ultimately it is the responsibility of each individual living in a high-risk area to be prepared to take protective action should a bushfire strike. For whatever reason, some people are under the impression that they are immune to any real threat and that a fire will magically deviate from their property. We all need to work together to ensure our state is as prepared as possible and is as safe as possible so that lives can be protected this bushfire season. I commend everyone involved with Exercise Team Spirit 09.

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