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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-02-09 Daily Xml
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Remote Outer Border Fire Control

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (14:31): My question is to the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services. Is the minister open to supporting the CFS deploying the remote outer border system of fire control? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr McBRIDE: The remote outer border system of fire control is a prescribed burning method invented by Rob England for controlling fires. It involves rolling, wetting and lighting vegetation on a remote outer border of a fire. When the minister met with me and the member for Hammond on 7 September 2022 to discuss this method, he did not say that he was opposed to it. However, on 7 February 2023 the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service wrote that, 'The government were not looking to commit to this system.'

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS (Cheltenham—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (14:31): I thank the member for MacKillop for his question and also for his work in facilitating the meeting that he referred to between himself, the member for Hammond, myself and Mr England.

In direct response to his question, 'Am I supportive of that strategy or those tactics being deployed?', I take all of my advice from the CFS, as (a) that would be most proper for me as the emergency services minister and (b) it would be entirely most improper of me to dictate those operational tactics to the CFS.

The member for MacKillop is correct to say that the CFS have advised me since that meeting that the current tactics and resources deployed with respect to back-burning are adequate and are fit for purpose, and that the deployment of the technology or the innovation as advocated passionately by Mr England is not one that they would advise me is one that they will be taking up any time soon. Of course, if that changes, the member for MacKillop and I have discussed this matter extensively outside of this chamber and will continue to do so.

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