Ongoing funding is vital to rural fire services

Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay has reminded Parliament of the absolute importance of ongoing funding to ensure rural communities have the best chance to protect themselves from the bushfire menace.
In his speech to Parliament, he said that the recent hot and dry conditions in the region coupled with ongoing drought in some areas, added to the dangers faced by fire fighting teams called in to control fires threatening homes in the Tingha and Torrington districts during the past fortnight.
“In my electorate of Northern Tablelands firefighters from the Rural Fire Service, Forests New South Wales and the National Parks and Wildlife Service have fought fires burning in the Glen Innes, Torrington, Tenterfield, Gwydir and Inverell areas,” Mr Torbay said. “In all, more than 14,000 hectares, or almost 35,000 acres of farmland and bush, have been burnt out in the past couple of weeks.
“If the weather conditions remain favourable for the next few days, the hardworking firefighters will be able to return to their normal lives.”
In the northern region of NSW alone there are almost 16,000 volunteers in 658 brigades across 31 districts looking after 157,000 square kilometres of property. In terms of funding the Government this year provided a record amount of funding from the Rural Fire Fighting Fund to the Rural Fire Service, with $8.4 million being allocated to the Northern Tablelands.
“They are incredible. This funding momentum should not be lost.” Mr Torbay said. “I urge the Government to continue to give this vital rural service the resources needed to properly respond to the threat of bushfire.
“With the Victorian experience still fresh in our minds, we cannot afford to become complacent about fire protection and that is why Government support is so vital in ensuring that these services continue.
“As we head toward the one-year anniversary of the Victorian bushfires, I hope that the lessons learnt in the aftermath of that disaster ensure that those brave people who keep others safe remain a funding priority of the Government.”