Thursday, 30 October 2025

 Tim BULL (Gippsland East) (09:45): Fire season is here, and we are vulnerable again in East Gippsland, as is much of country Victoria. Less than a quarter of the fuel reduction burning as recommended by the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission to keep us relatively safe has been done over recent years. Fuel loads have been allowed to explode. In addition, we have the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change firefighting fleet off the road and the treatment of the CFA has thousands less volunteers in that organisation now. You are again being told in advance, and it cannot end any differently with this approach. The policies of this government have set us up for this. If you want to protect us, do what the royal commission recommended. Ignoring that is ignoring us.