The Central Coast Greens support hazard reduction management guided by the best expert advice. After the recent devastating bushfire season, some commentators have blamed the Greens for a lack of hazard reduction burns to prevent bush fires.
The Greens, however, back the statements of senior bush fire professionals that hazard reduction has become more difficult due to longer, hotter and dryer conditions leading to fewer safe periods for hazard reduction burns.
The unprecedented nature of these fires is linked to climate change which has increased the dryness of the fuel load. Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has presented findings concluding that 2019 was our hottest year ever with the mean temperature at 1.52 degrees Celsius above average.
Australia’s national average rainfall was just 277mm – the lowest ever recorded.
“The government has shown an appalling lack of leadership.” said Central Coast Greens member, and resident, Cath Connor.
“They took no steps to prepare for or mitigate the extreme bushfire season they were warned we would face. Instead, blame shifting game (it’s the Greens’ fault) – is being pushed as hard as it can This is despite all the accurate information presented by the people like the RFS Chief and CSIRO scientists.”
With a large number of our homes close to or in bushland areas of the Central Coast, there is more we can do to address the bushfire threat, the most urgent being to act on climate change. In addition, the Central Coast Greens call on the government to adequately fund rangers to conduct hazard reduction and to create a National Disaster Response Unit.
“They’ve tried to blame the fires on the Greens, for apparently not supporting hazard reduction burning.” said ACT MLA Shane Rattenbury
“I’m a Greens minister and ordered hazard-reduction burning.”
“If elected to Central Coast Council this year, the Greens will work hard to improve local responses and preparation to catastrophic bushfire conditions and keep Central Coast residents safe.”
Central Coast Greens member, and nominee candidate for Budgewoi ward, Sue Wynn.
“As a Greens Councillor on Wyong council, I was involved with managing fire risk alongside the rural fire service. I attended meeting with CSIRO scientists that painted the picture of the current climate-fueled fire season. The government was warned yet no steps were taken to prepare.”