Wednesday, 4 February 2026

 Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (18:36): (2269) My adjournment this evening is for the Minister for Environment, and the action I seek is for the laws surrounding the removal of trees to be relaxed during the bushfire recovery. During the recent bushfires I travelled around speaking with my constituents to find out what their concerns were and what help they needed. Imagine my shock and disbelief when I was informed that farmers had been threatened with fines by Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action staff if they removed dangerous fire-damaged trees from their properties and fence lines. These farmers, who lost thousands of kilometres of fence line during the fires, now have the added stress of worrying about whether the fire-damaged trees are going to fall on them or their freshly erected fences. One would think that the green-and-gold warriors in shiny white LandCruisers could show a little leniency at a time like this – but no. Instead they are out there watching farmers, waiting to pounce on anyone who dares remove a dangerous tree.

Farmers are not unknowledgeable about the difference between a safe tree and a dangerous tree. They are not going to remove a tree just for the sake of it; farmers will only remove the tree that poses a threat to lives, livestock and infrastructure, so it would not be unreasonable to allow them to do the work that is needed. It seems completely ridiculous that fire-damaged trees are being removed in swathes across the roadside, but when it comes to fence lines and paddocks, they are not allowed to be touched. While I understand the need to protect native vegetation, these trees will most likely fall anyway, it is just a matter of when. Removing the unpredictability of this provides a much safer working environment for people who have already lived through incredibly dangerous conditions, with many either being CFA volunteers or staying to protect their properties and livestock with their own equipment. For the sake of common sense and safety of landholders, the action I seek is for the minister to relax the laws surrounding tree removal during the bushfire recovery.