Safer places

By Tania Martin
YARRA Ranges Shire last month reluctantly approved an extra two Neighbourhood Safer Places.
Councillors said they had no other choice following the release of the new emergency services legislation late last year.
The council looked at five possible locations but were only able to approve two, which included the Belgrave and Upwey recreation reserves.
This brings the number of designated places to four after the council approved the Monbulk Recreation Reserve and Mount Evelyn’s Morrison Reserve in December.
Other locations looked at were in Olinda at the back of the shops and Belgrave’s Safeway car park.
Both failed the final hurdle following a number of safety and road management issues.
At a meeting on 22 December, Lyster Ward councillor Samantha Dunn said it was difficult finding any places that fitted the bill.
“We are still very concerned about the messages out there in relation to these places,” she said.
Cr Dunn has renewed warnings to residents and tourists to only use the designated NSPs if they have nowhere else to go.
She said the council had no other choice but to designate NSPs following the newly-passed emergency services laws.
“It is explicit in what it says in that the council must identify and designate NSPs, unfortunately whether we agree with it or not the act is clear on our responsibility as a local government authority,” Cr Dunn said.
Melba Ward’s Cr Terry Avery believes there shouldn’t be any NSPs but said the council had no choice in the matter.
“I think they are a danger and there will be people who die on the way to these places,” he said.
But Dandenong Ranges Community Bushfire Group spokeswoman Melanie Gajdek said leaving early would be the best option but it was not always possible.
She said that for many if their plan to leave early failed, there was no acceptable Plan B.
Ms Gajdek said NSPs might fail but that was why they were called ‘places of last resort’.
But she said the shire seemed to believe residents would prefer to be left with no place to go, rather than have a nominated place which had an element of risk.
Streeton Ward Cr Noel Cliff said in a perfect world everyone would go away on those high-risk days.
But he said in reality that was not going to happen.
Cr Cliff said since the ’60s there had always been a push for people to leave early following major fire events like Black Saturday.
“We all saw what happened in the last fire season, it just doesn’t work,” he said.
“The reality is that people will still be there and as the bottom level of government deals with the people so we will be the first one they look to.”
“We can’t just say we aren’t going to have the damn things … it’s on us, we have a responsibility and it’s better for us to have some control,” Cr Cliff said.
Ms Gajdek said although it was good to see more places approved, it was still not enough.
“All approved are open spaces and provide no protection from ember attack or smoke,” she said.
This comes as the neighbouring Shire of Cardinia approved an NSP for Gembrook at the town’s leisure park on the corner of Pakenham-Gembrook and Beenak East roads.
But Mayor Graeme Legge said it was vital for residents to remember it was a place of last resort when all other plans have failed.
“While it may offer some protection from bushfire, the safety and survival of those who assemble at these places is not guaranteed,” he said.