“Did the government ever factor in bushfire preparation and management when it slashed the budgets to National Parks and Wildlife Service, State Forest and other environmental agencies?

“Following massive restructures how many redundant staff from both the Rural Fire Service and National Parks have been called back in to fight fires?

“PSA members have been warning that these cuts have crippled the state’s ability to prepare and respond to horror fire season. Why were they ignored?

“The state needs to know what impact the 35 percent cut to fire-trained positions in National Parks has had on the ability to prepare NSW’s for fires.

“This inquiry must ask why, apart from last financial year, National Parks haven’t been able to reach its annual hazard reduction target since 2016? Is it because there are not the boots on the ground to do the work?

“It’s not just hazard reduction, money set aside for upgrading fire trails hadn’t been spent and the work has not been done.

“Hazard reduction, fire trails maintenance, all of this takes place over years, not a single season. It means that this problem has been compounded.

“We also need to consider if there is a role for Commonwealth coordinating additional resources during national emergencies.

“Unfortunately, as catastrophic fires have raged, elements of the NSW’s Coalition have used them to start an internal culture war, and PSA members have been treated like political footballs.

“NSW needs a mandatory funding mechanism to avoid the crippling of vital environmental services. This would mean ideological fights over climate change wouldn’t be able to impact the state’s ability to fund its bushfire preparedness.”

Further comment: Stewart Little 0434 062 079
Media inquiries: Suze Metherell 0412 867 084