The Environment Minister was wrong on 10/50 and wrong on the Greens’ stance on it.
The Environment Minister was wrong on 10/50 and wrong on the Greens’ stance on it.
“Mr DAVID SHOEBRIDGE [5.28 p.m.]: On behalf of The Greens I express our opposition to the Rural Fires Amendment (Vegetation Clearing) Bill 2014. We oppose the bill for three principal reasons. First, it will give landowners and occupiers a false sense of security that may ultimately put them at risk of bushfire. Secondly, it will reduce essential interaction between Rural Fire Service [RFS] personnel, who are the experts who can give the best advice, and landowners and occupiers. Thirdly, it will create unacceptable damage to a large amount of environmentally sensitive bushland across the State.
This bill creates what are called 10/50 vegetation clearing entitlement areas where, subject to the yet to be publicly provided 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice, home owners, occupiers and landowners can clear trees within 10 metres and any vegetation apart from trees within 50 metres of their home without having to apply for permissions that would otherwise be required. Through new section 100Q of the bill, the commissioner is tasked with preparing a 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice that covers the type of vegetation that can be cleared, when it should be pruned rather than removed, the use of herbicides, erosion and landslip risks, riparian buffer zones et cetera.
We are told that the code of practice will operate in 10/50 vegetation clearing entitlement areas, which will be determined by the commissioner on a map or maps published on the NSW Rural Fire Service website. This House is deciding on the legislation without having seen the code of practice. We do not know what controls and protections will be put in place. This House is proposing to make these laws without having seen any indicative maps of where the legislation will apply.”
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