Firewood collection
Peter WALSH (Murray Plains) (09:41): Firewood is not a luxury for the people of my electorate; it is essential for heating, particularly with the soaring costs of electricity and gas. Last year the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action were clearing flood debris from the Barmah forest and were planning to burn 70 huge piles of wood to get rid of it. After lobbying by me and a number of others, common sense prevailed and that firewood was made available to locals to come and collect. I would urge DEECA again this year to look at where they could strategically pile up debris wood so it can be accessed by locals for firewood. I am told DEECA was amazed at how orderly the people were who came and got it, how well they cleaned the area up and how well they behaved in collecting that firewood. As I said, I would urge them to do it again this year but potentially extend it further downriver in my electorate, somewhere around Murrabit or Swan Hill so those people could also have access to it. What was amazing – I went along that day and was there – was the fact that there were elderly couples there collecting wood who did not have a chainsaw, who were getting the offcuts because they desperately needed firewood, and those with chainsaws actually went and helped them do it and helped them load their trailers up so they could take it home. The locals were outstanding in how they supported each other in making sure all that wood was put to good use to keep people warm in what is a very cold, long winter for those that do not have access to firewood. So please, government, do something similar again.