Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Heffernan, I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 413. The details of the amendment have been circulated.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the following matter be referred to the Select Committee on Agricultural and Related Industries for inquiry and report:

The incidence and severity of bushfires across Australia, including:

(a)

the impact of bushfires on human and animal life, agricultural land, the environment, public and private assets and local communities;

(b)

factors contributing to the causes and risks of bushfires across Australia, including natural resource management policies, hazard reduction and agricultural land maintenance;

(c)

the extent and effectiveness of bushfire mitigation strategies and practices, including application of resources for agricultural land, national parks, state forests, other Crown land, open space areas adjacent to development and private property and the impact of hazard reduction strategies;

(d)

the identification of measures that can be undertaken by government, industry and the community and the effectiveness of these measures in protecting agricultural industries, service industries, small business, tourism and water catchments;

(e)

any alternative or developmental bushfire prevention and mitigation approaches which can be implemented;

(f)

the appropriateness of planning and building codes with respect to land use in the bushfire prone regions;

(g)

the adequacy and funding of fire-fighting resources both paid and voluntary and the usefulness of and impact on on-farm labour;

(h)

the role of volunteers;

(i)

the impact of climate change;

(j)

fire – its causes (accidental, natural and deliberate) and remedies;

(k)

the impact of bushfires on biodiversity and measures to protect biodiversity; and

(l)

insurance against bushfires.