Fire funds needed

YARRA Ranges residents could end up paying for the cost of bushfire preparations if the State Government does not increase funding, mayor Len Cox said last week.
His comment followed calls from Opposition local government spokeswoman Jeanette Powell for increased financial support for bushfire risk management.
Mrs Powell said lawyers for the Bushfires Royal Commission said local government needed to be adequately resourced to manage roads and roadsides.
“They say Victoria’s bushfire risk is greatest in rural and regional municipalities where resources are likely to be scarce, due partly to a low ratepayer base,” Mrs Powell said.
Mrs Powell said local councils were doing a tremendous job at managing bushfire risk in their communities but were under funded by the State Government.
“The risk of fires will be much greater unless councils receive appropriate funding to remove high fuel loads on roadsides,” Mrs Powell said.
Yarra Ranges Council mayor Len Cox said shires were “very aware” that extra bushfire planning, preparation and risk mitigation was needed.
But without additional funding, he said, municipalities would have no option but to re-prioritise existing services or raise rates.
“Municipalities such as Yarra Ranges, with its proximity of urbanised areas and state and national parks, have unique challenges that are difficult to cater for in a one size fits all financial model,” he said.
Cr Cox said the council’s experiences since Black Saturday had reenforced the need to invest more in fire preparation.
“Our forward financial and business planning has provided for $3.6 million further investment, on top of about $2.7 million that we have traditionally spent year on year.”
A State Government spokesman said the Government last year provided the CFA with a significant boost following the Royal Commission interim report.
“This extra funding was provided to help councils make townships safer, which included tackling roadside burns,” he said.
He said the Government also provided the Municipal Association of Victoria with $500,000 to assist councils with the added cost of preparing communities.
He could not comment on whether any extra cash would be allocated to councils in today’s (Tuesday) budget.