Letter by Dr Bittar, Gabriel,
in relation to council’s unsatisfactory answer to Councillor Walkom‘s questions on how and when will council make the towns of American River and Parndana “bushfire safe precincts” (2011.01.19).
These past weeks, Kangaroo Island has been through mild weather. Nevertheless, considering that half of the island has gone through major bushfires in the past five years, this should not be an excuse for complacency on what is the single major threat to local communities. I’m afraid not everyone at the council seems to get it.
In the Kangaroo Island Council agenda for this week, under the heading 8.1.16, there is a “General Fire Awareness” question on notice by councillor Graham Walkom, referring to “last resort refuges” and “safe precincts” and asking about the council’s plans if the towns of American River and Parndana have to be shut on fire emergency days because they are not in safe precincts.
Mr Daniel Rowley, General Manager Assets Services of Kangaroo Island Council, has responded to all questions that they are a matter of CFS jurisdiction and referred readers to the CFS website.
This partial answer is unsatisfactory, to put it midly, for the following two reasons.
The document cited by Mr Rowley states that “CFS has developed a hierarchy of places that can offer relative safety from bushfire.”
This does not imply that councils have nothing to do on this matter ! Rather that it’s up to CFS to decide if a location satisfies the criteria for being classified as a Bushfire Safer Place. It’s definitely up to councils to act decisively for improving the bushfire risk situation to their constituency, by taking practical steps, in particular by providing more Bushfire Safer Places to the population.
You cannot expect of a State-wise organisation as the CFS to take care of every organisational detail on the matter of bushfire prevention everywhere in SA. In the same manner that prevention starts at home with the landowner, it continues at the local and council level.
Mr Rowley was present at a public meeting on bushfire safety held on December 10, 2009 in American River. This meeting was attended by councillors, employees and senior CFS officers. From records, it is quite obvious that CFS clearly considers these matters to be council responsibility.
There is a second reason for Mr Rowley’s answer to be unsatisfactory. If one considers the seriousness of bushfire risks and that communities and tourists are left seriously at risk while the problems raised by Councillor Walkom are left unaddressed, Mr Rowley’s answer might be considered flippant to the point of contempt to an elected councillor and his constituency.
I urge Mr Rowley to reassess the matter, engage it seriously and work hand-in-hand with Councillor Walkom. That would be more appropriate and decent than playing some sort of bucking game.
Dr Gabriel Bittar
American River
Published in The Islander, 2011.01.20