Skip to main content
Home
  • The Legislative Assembly meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Assembly sit 16/04/2024
  • The Legislative Council meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Council sit 16/04/2024
  • The Public Administration meets on 08/04/2024 (10:00 AM)
    Committee meet 08/04/2024

Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 203 asked in the Legislative Council on 19 March 2019 by Hon Colin Holt

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

ENHANCED PRESCRIBED BURNING PROGRAM

203. Hon COLIN HOLT to the Minister for Environment:

I refer to the royalties for regions–funded enhanced prescribed burning program.

(1) Please confirm that the government's funding for the enhanced prescribed burning program for the 2018–19 financial year is $3.4 million, as described in the midyear review. If this figure is not correct, what is the funding for this financial year?

(2) What is the 2018–19 year-to-date figure for hectares burnt under the program?

(3) What does the minister anticipate the total burn to be for 2018–19?

(4) What was the total area of prescribed burning in each of 2016–17 and 2017–18?

Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1) The $3.4 million showing in the midyear financial review for the enhanced prescribed burning program is correct and represents the balance of the $20 million amount that was allocated over a four-year period commencing in 2015–16. This amount is the result of higher than expected expenditure against the program in 2016–17 and 2017–18, which resulted in prescribed burning achievements in the south west of the state of 248 000 and 218 000 hectares respectively. The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions will seek approval from the Department of Treasury for a one-off reallocation of internal funding to this area should it be required to ensure that there is no impact on the delivery of the 2019 autumn prescribed burning program. The spring prescribed burning program in 2018 was not impacted.

(2) As of 19 March 2019, DBCA has achieved 95 633 hectares across the forested region of the state.

(3) The total number of hectares achieved for 2018–19 will be dependent on suitable weather conditions occurring in autumn 2019.

(4) See (1).