The Allan Labor Government is deliberately under-funding bushfire preparedness activities, with the State Budget highlighting it has allocated $89.3 million less than the previous year.
Alarmingly, to avoid scrutiny Labor is relying on Treasurer’s Advances to prop up what is a core government service.
The revelations came during a Public Accounts and Estimates Committee hearing where the Minister for Environment, Steve Dimopoulos, ducked and weaved when pressed for answers.
When asked why there had been a reduction in money for bushfire preparedness, the best answer Mr Dimopoulos could provide the committee was that the funding was “lumpy”.
Mr Dimopoulos did not disclose the budget, conceding it was only a “starting point” – and then firmly placed the responsibility on Forest Fire Management Victoria to go cap in hand to the Treasurer for additional funding.
Over the preceding three years an average of $600 million was spent on managing bushfire risk, yet the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) annual report shows an average of only six per cent is spent on fuel reduction and fire break maintenance.
Shadow Minister for Public Land Management, Melina Bath, called out Labor for its lack of fiscal transparency and gambling with the lives of regional Victorians.
“Minister Dimopoulos’ response is evidence that Labor knowingly underfunds vital fire preparedness activities and misuses Treasurer’s Advances for regular government business to avoid scrutiny.
“Lessons from the Grampians fires, where Labor has failed to meet its own fuel reduction targets for the past five years, clearly indicates its policies and funding are inadequate.
“The fact that bushfire mitigation activities are known tasks that should have a budget set aside annually highlights Labor’s financial mismanagement.
“Labor is attempting to show glossy numbers in the budget papers, when in reality decisions are being made through Treasurer’s Advances.
“The Minister is clearly putting his own political career ahead of preserving our natural environment and addressing Victorian fire risk.
“Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage our environment and Victorians are paying the price.”
