Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee
Inquiry into the 2026 summer fires across Victoria
Awaiting Government Response
Previous public hearings
Corrected transcripts of these hearings are published below when finalised by the Committee.
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Wednesday 6 May
This hearing will be broadcast online only. Committee Hearing Room 1, 55 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne, 30023:00 pm
Towong Shire Council Peter Tolsher, Mayor Juliana Phelps, Chief Executive Officer Mark Florence, Director (Planning and Community) -
Friday 1 May
Committee Hearing Room 3, 55 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne, 30029:00 am
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Kelly Crosthwaite, Deputy Secretary, Bushfire and Forest Services Rachaele May, Policy and Knowledge Divisio, Bushfire and Forest Services Carolyn Jackson, Deputy Secretary, Regions, Environment, Climate Action and First Peoples Beth Jones, Deputy Secretary, Agriculture and Chief Executive, Agriculture Victoria9:45 am
Emergency Management Victoria Tim Wiebusch ESM, Commissioner Dean Tighe, Deputy Secretary and Chief Executive Mariela T Diaz, Deputy Commissioner, Relief and Recovery Forest Fire Management Victoria Chris Hardman, Chief Fire Officer Country Fire Authority Greg Leach, Chief Executive Officer Jason Heffernan, Chief Officer Fire Rescue Victoria Gavin Freeman, Fire Rescue Commissioner12:00 pm
Inspector-General of Emergency Management Emily Phillips, Inspector-General Fire Services Implementation Monitor Niall Blair2:00 pm
ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society David Lindenmayer2:30 pm
Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria Adam Barnett, Chief Executive Officer Samantha Collins, State President3:30 pm
United Firefighters Union Peter Marshall, Secretary, Victoria Branch Country Fire Authority Volunteers Group Inc. John Houston Across Victoria Alliance Andrew Weidemann4:15 pm
Bureau of Meteorology Matthew Collopy, General Manager Environmental Prediction Services -
Thursday 30 April
Harcourt Leisure Centre, Binghams Road, Harcourt, 34539:00 am
Mount Alexander Shire Council Darren Fuzzard, Chief Executive Officer Toby Heydon, Mayor9:45 am
Country Fire Authority Andrew Wilson, Captain, Harcourt Fire Brigade Adam Paine, 1st Deputy Group Officer, Mt Alexander Group Rohan Stevens, Group Officer, Hume Group10:30 am
Harcourt Progress Association Inc. Ivan Gilbert Mike Reeves Rachel Vanstone Blackjack Wines Ken Pollock Trevor Peeler
Business and Residents Panel11:45 am
Victorian Farmers Federation Peter Starr, Acting President Nicholas Ayres-Wearne, Director of Livestock1:15 pm
Rodney Carter Friends of the Earth Melbourne Cam Walker2:00 pm
Adjunct Professor James McLennan Wildlife Victoria Lisa Palma -
Friday 24 April
Alexandra Shire Hall, 55 Grant Street, Alexandra, 37149:00 am
Murrindindi Shire Council Livia Bonazzi, Chief Executive Officer Damien Gallagher, Mayor Andrew Paxton, Director of Community and Development Strathbogie Shire Council Rachelle Quattrocchi, Chief Executive Officer Cr Scott Jeffery, Mayor Mitchell Shire Council Cr John Dougall9:45 am
Sam Hicks, President, Fawcett Hall Reserve Tablelands Recovery Leadership Team Colleen Furlanetto OAM Andrea Bauer10:40 am
CFA Lachlan Gales, Group Officer, Wangaratta Group Nick Murray, Upton Hill Fire Brigade George Noye, Captain, Ruffy Fire Brigade Chris Lynch, Alexandra Brigade Captain11:30 am
Andrew Miller Fiona Lindsay UGFM - Radio Murrindindi Peter Weeks -
Wednesday 22 April
Quantong Community Recreation Facility , Chequers Road, Quantong, 340112:00 pm
Horsham Rural City Council John Martin, Director Infrastructure Cr Brian Klowss, Mayor12:45 pm
CFA David Sudholz, Captain, Natimuk Steven Meyer, Group Officer, Natimuk1:30 pm
West Wimmera Health Service David Schultz, Director of Nursing, Natimuk Aged Care Darren Welsh, Executive Director, Quality and Safety Natimuk and District Gymnastics Club Lynette Morrow, Head Coach2:15 pm
Ivan Smith West Wimmera Action group Martin Cobert, Treasurer -
Tuesday 21 April
Colac Otway Performing Arts & Cultural Centre (COPACC), 95-97 Gellibrand Street, Colac, 32509:00 am
Colac Otway Shire Council Andrew Tenni, Chief Executive Officer Cr Jason Schram, Mayor9:45 am
Climate Action Team, Colac Otway Marina Lewis Conservation Ecology Centre Lizzie Corke OAM, Chief Executive Officer Dr Claire Feniuk, Director Conservation Strategy and Partnerships10:30 am
VICSES Alistair Drayton, Chief Officer Operations Chris Jones, Unit Controller, Lorne SES Unit CFA Lachlan Sutherland, Deputy Group Officer (Corangamite Group) DEECA Scott Turner, Director Forest and Fire Operations, Barwon South West11:30 am
Terrence O’Brien Mark Billing