A re-elected Gutwein majority Liberal Government will invest a further $18 million to ensure our communities are bushfire safe and to support our more than 5,600 volunteers.

Our commitment will include more fuel reduction burns, more volunteers and more mental health supports for firefighters in addition to new-generation technologies.

We know that Tasmania is a bushfire prone environment, which is why it is so important that we continue to invest and deliver on initiatives that keep Tasmanians safe.

If re-elected, we will provide:

• $2.5 million for the “Red Hot Tips” Program which supports farmers and large landholders to manage the bushfire risk on their property;
• $2.5 million for our nation-leading Fuel Reduction Program to support mechanical clearing;
• $2.4 million to establish a dedicated team to bolster volunteer recruitment and administration in remote and regional communities. This funding will also be provided for a dedicated secretariat to the volunteer fire and SES associations;
• an additional $1.5 million per annum to further support the Mental Health and Wellbeing of our emergency services personnel and volunteers, taking the total funding per annum to $3 million;
• $250,000 to fund access to a new-generation defibrillators for volunteer fire trucks;
• $900,000 to stand up a permanent multi-hazard intelligence team in the new State Operations Centre, which will provide minute-by-minute monitoring of hazards and rapid advice to commanders when planning incident responses;
• $2 million to roll-out enhanced standard equipment for volunteer brigades and units including for personal protective equipment and communications; and
• $500,000 to continue the grants program for Tasmania’s volunteer fire brigades and State Emergency Service units.

In addition, we will guarantee the continuation of the existing policy that no fire brigades will be forced to close or amalgamate, and we will deliver a new Fire Service Act.

The Tasmanian Liberals are committed to keeping Tasmanians safe from fires and bushfires, and we have a strong track-record that includes:

• delivering our nation-leading Fuel Reduction Program;
• funding state-of-the-art aerial firefighting appliances;
• introducing Tasmania’s first TFS volunteer remote area firefighting teams;
• better resourcing and supporting volunteer brigades through the provision of new grants funding; and;
• supporting the recruitment of 45 new firefighters in 2021 to boost our frontline to 355 – the highest number in ten years.

The Securing Bushfire Safe Communities and Supporting Volunteers policy can be found here.