In NSW 1 Million Hectares Have Already Burned; Auditor-General Asked To Assess Fire Service Funding
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As deadly bushfires burned their way through more than a million hectares of NSW this month, debate over what caused them and how to handle them continued in Canberra and Sydney. While the role climate change played in the catastrophic fire conditions divided politicians, questions were also raised as to the adequacy of the firefighting agencies.
In the November 21 letter to Ms Crawford, Ms McKay said there was a “high level [of] confusion and anxiety in the community” about whether firefighting agencies were appropriately resourced. “Given the risk and danger posed to the state, I request that you prioritise an investigation into the government’s preparedness for the coming fire season,” Ms McKay said.
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Hundreds of homes and 1.5 million hectares of bushland have been destroyed by fires across the state this month. More than 100 fires were burning on Tuesday afternoon. Fire Brigade Employees Union state secretary Leighton Drury said Fire and Rescue NSW were short 100 permanent staff, while a quarter of the state's fire trucks were older than the industry standard of 15 years. "This puts our community at risk ... We cannot do more with less," Mr Drury said.
The state's auditors conduct a yearly financial review of both fire organisations, among all other agencies. The Audit Office had already slated a potential performance review of fire agencies after June 2020. The office confirmed receipt of the letter but would not comment further.
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https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/confusion-and-anxiety-over-nsw-firefighting-resources-20191126-p53ebj.html