Mr WOOD - 2011-11-24
The West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Project has been lauded by government as a means of reducing carbon emissions. Can you say what amount of carbon emissions are estimated to have been released by the wildfires in Central Australia, and have those fires not nullified the usefulness of this West Arnhem project? If that is the case, is it not more of a reason to ensure Central Australian volunteer fire brigades have adequate resources to reduce or stop these fires, something the member for Macdonnell, as an Independent, raised earlier this year in parliament?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his very important question. The bushfires we have seen in Central Australia over the past few months have been the worst in 10 years. We have done what we can to support all those hard-working Bushfire NT workers and the volunteer brigades. In fact, in 2008, we provided an extra $2m to the Bushfires NT budget. That was towards training for volunteer brigades, the firefighting fleet, radio networks, firefighters, and fire suppression.
We have provided a boost in 2008 ...
Ms Lawrie: That is ongoing.
Mr HAMPTON: That is ongoing, that is right, Treasurer. These have been the worst bushfires in 10 years, but it is also a timely reminder that government cannot do it all; we cannot put money in and that will stop these bushfires. There is a huge responsibility on landowners, pastoralists, and people in the rural area to put in firebreaks and to have fire management plans ...
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The important part of the question is to ask the minister whether he has any idea what the carbon emissions were that were emitted by those Central Australian fires to see if they nullified the benefits of the West Arnhem project.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, can you come to the point on that one, please?
Mr HAMPTON: Yes, Madam Speaker. I have three minutes, if the member will let me finish, I will get there.
Regarding greenhouse gas emissions from those wildfires in Central Australia, we will have a clearer picture from the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory when those emissions are added up over the next 12 months or so. I am more than happy to get back to the member for Nelson once that estimation has been done. I am happy to provide you with a briefing, because you are relating the bushfires in Central Australia to climate change mitigation programs such as WALFA.
You are right; WALFA is a world-renowned, best practice program around mitigation. There is a controlled program working with ConocoPhillips to offset those emissions which are coming from the LNG plant. There are two different things you are talking about. One is the bushfires; the other is a controlled mitigation program. We are working with traditional owners on country, acknowledging the experience and the traditional knowledge of burning off savannah forests early in the Wet Season or early in the Dry Season.
Member for Nelson, there are two different things you are alluding to, and I am happy to give you a briefing on those when you are ready.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his very important question. The bushfires we have seen in Central Australia over the past few months have been the worst in 10 years. We have done what we can to support all those hard-working Bushfire NT workers and the volunteer brigades. In fact, in 2008, we provided an extra $2m to the Bushfires NT budget. That was towards training for volunteer brigades, the firefighting fleet, radio networks, firefighters, and fire suppression.
We have provided a boost in 2008 ...
Ms Lawrie: That is ongoing.
Mr HAMPTON: That is ongoing, that is right, Treasurer. These have been the worst bushfires in 10 years, but it is also a timely reminder that government cannot do it all; we cannot put money in and that will stop these bushfires. There is a huge responsibility on landowners, pastoralists, and people in the rural area to put in firebreaks and to have fire management plans ...
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The important part of the question is to ask the minister whether he has any idea what the carbon emissions were that were emitted by those Central Australian fires to see if they nullified the benefits of the West Arnhem project.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, can you come to the point on that one, please?
Mr HAMPTON: Yes, Madam Speaker. I have three minutes, if the member will let me finish, I will get there.
Regarding greenhouse gas emissions from those wildfires in Central Australia, we will have a clearer picture from the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory when those emissions are added up over the next 12 months or so. I am more than happy to get back to the member for Nelson once that estimation has been done. I am happy to provide you with a briefing, because you are relating the bushfires in Central Australia to climate change mitigation programs such as WALFA.
You are right; WALFA is a world-renowned, best practice program around mitigation. There is a controlled program working with ConocoPhillips to offset those emissions which are coming from the LNG plant. There are two different things you are talking about. One is the bushfires; the other is a controlled mitigation program. We are working with traditional owners on country, acknowledging the experience and the traditional knowledge of burning off savannah forests early in the Wet Season or early in the Dry Season.
Member for Nelson, there are two different things you are alluding to, and I am happy to give you a briefing on those when you are ready.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016