THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment last week launched an inquiry into the bushfires that have plagued vast areas of eastern Australia for months.
The inquiry will look at past and current vegetation and land management policy, practice and legislation and their impact on the intensity and frequency of bushfires.
Scenic Rim state MP Jon Krause said he had voted in favour of an inquiry in Queensland Parliament, but the Labor Party blocked it.
He urged all interested locals to submit to the federal Parliament inquiry.
"Labor can't handle the truth about its scandalous mismanagement of national parks and state-owned land - that's why they blocked a homeground inquiry in Queensland," Mr Krause said.
"Recent fires around Canungra, Beechmont, Maroon, Moogerah, Tarome, Rosevale and Spicer's Gap have seen many people raise concerns about bushfire risk management, and also fire management itself.
"We need to hear from all parties in the community about the good, the bad and the gaps in fire management, including management of state land and national parks.
"That is how we will improve future fire practices and management - not through hiding behind closed doors inquiries lacking in public input."
Launching the inquiry on December 5, committee chair Ted O'Brien said that "many communities across Australia had experienced or were still in the grip of a bushfire crisis".
"We are currently experiencing a difficult, dangerous and potentially prolonged bushfire season," he said.
"We feel for our fellow Australians both impacted by, and trying to control, these devastating fires.
"The new inquiry provides an opportunity to better understand the practices relating to vegetation and land management, legislative frameworks, economic impact, mitigation strategies and the engagement of emergency services.
"The committee understands people will have very passionate views about this, particularly in light of the current bushfire season. We look forward to hearing all views and accessing all the evidence put before us."
On Wednesday LNP state Fire and Emergency Services spokesman Lachlan Millar said the state government had a lot to answer for.
"Every community that I visit that has suffered the scourge of bushfires has a lot of unanswered questions," he said.
"Stories of mismanaged state-controlled land and issues with getting approvals for hazard reduction burns are frequently raised.
"Queenslanders deserve to know why Annastacia Palaszczuk has overseen an 83 per cent reduction in overall fire prevention activities."
Mr Millar said Queenslanders deserved to know why the government had 'slashed funding for the Rural Fire Service by $13 million'."
"Our firies do an incredible job protecting the public and property, but they're being let down by a Labor government that is failing to ensure they're being backed up by suitable fire preparedness and land management practices.
"It is outrageous that it takes the federal coalition to undertake an inquiry into an area of responsibility that the State Labor Government should be managing, but Queenslanders will take any opportunity they can for the truth to come out," he said.
The committee said the inquiry would have particular regard to matters including:
- past and current practices of land and vegetation management;
- the impact of current legislation and regulatory responses for landholders;
- the scientific basis behind relevant bushfire management activities;
- legislative capability at the local, state and federal levels requiring landholders to reduce fire risk on properties;
- the economic impact of severe fires in urban, regional, rural and remote areas;
- the progress and implementation of various state reviews over the last decade; andthe engagement of emergency services with land management officials in managing fire risk.
Queenslanders were invited to make a submission to the inquiry before February 28.
The committee said it would hold public hearings at various locations, which will be announced in due course on the inquiry website.
Submissions must address the inquiry's terms of reference, which are available along with details on how to make a submission at aph.gov.au.
