Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Watt, I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Finance and Public Administration References Committee for inquiry and report by the last sitting day in 2021:

Lessons to be learned in relation to the preparation and planning for, response to and recovery efforts following the 2019-20 Australian bushfire season, with particular reference to:

(a) advice provided to the Federal Government, prior to the bushfires, about the level of bushfire risk this fire season, how and why those risks differed from historical norms, and measures that should be taken to reduce that risk in the future;

(b) the respective roles and responsibilities of different levels of government, and agencies within government, in relation to bushfire planning, mitigation, response, and recovery;

(c) the Federal Government's response to recommendations from previous bushfire Royal Commissions and inquiries;

(d) the adequacy of the Federal Government's existing measures and policies to reduce future bushfire risk, including in relation to assessing, mitigating and adapting to expected climate change impacts, land use planning and management, hazard reduction, Indigenous fire practices, support for firefighters and other disaster mitigation measures;

(e) best practice funding models and policy measures to reduce future bushfire risk, both within Australia and internationally;

(f) existing structures, measures and policies implemented by the Federal Government, charities and others to assist communities to recover from the 2019-20 bushfires, including the performance of the National Bushfire Recovery Agency;

(g) the role and process of advising Government and the federal Parliament of scientific advice;

(h) an examination of the physical and mental health impacts of bushfires on the population, and the Federal Government's response to those impacts; and

(i) any related matters.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government does not support this motion. A range of inquiries are already underway at both the state and federal levels which aim to report in advance of the 2020-21 bushfire season. This inquiry would needlessly duplicate the efforts of other inquiries, including the royal commission announced by the Prime Minister in his speech yesterday.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that business of the Senate matter No. 5 be agreed to.