Bushfire affected residents vent frustrations about cuts to RFS, National Parks staff - ABC Radio 13/11/19

As crews continue to fight out-of-control blazes in New South Wales, some residents have aired frustrations about cuts to both firefighting and national parks staff. The New South Wales Premier has repeatedly shot down claims of cuts to the two organisations, but one former National Parks manager says staff are severely stretched and unable to properly manage bushfire risk. Duration: 4min 8sec Broadcast: Wed 13 Nov 2019,…

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Parks and Wildlife funding cuts in the spotlight as NSW Nationals play the blame game - The Mandarin 13/11/19

The New South Wales deputy premier and the agriculture minister both say the National Parks and Wildlife Service did not do enough in the lead-up to the bushfire season, but the public sector union says the government has “crippled” the agency with budget cuts and restructuring. Deputy Premier and NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro told The Australian the NPWS had failed to carry out enough backburning. At state…

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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian challenged on ranger cuts - The Australian 13/11/19

A former national parks ranger who lost his job in a restructure has challenged Gladys Berejiklian to deny her government has cut 100 rangers since coming to office in 2011 — making hazard-reduction burns less frequent. Both the NSW Premier and Deputy Premier John Barilaro took to radio on Wednesday to deny there were fewer field staff doing hazard-reduction burns after the Public Service Association…

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NSW govt accused of fuelling fires by slashing number of park rangers - Sky News 15/11/19

Public Service Association (PSA) Assistant General Secretary Troy Wright says he can “categorically state” that the NSW Government cut the number of park rangers who carry out hazard reduction burns in the lead up to the fire tragedy which took hold of the state this week. A public feud erupted this week between the PSA and NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro after he said the…

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Safety in numbers: As a horror fire season looms, firefighters are struggling to attract new volunteers - SMH 15/11/19

It's a similar line to that pushed by Nationals Leader and Deputy Premier John Barilaro in Parliament on Wednesday, as he lit the fuse on a brawl over staffing levels inside the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Barilaro implied that the NPWS had not done enough to reduce fuel loads in the bush, prompting a counter-attack from the Public Service Association which said the organisation had…

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