General News
12 October, 2024
Families fired up over compensation
THE Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service is under fire about a planned burn 12 months ago that went wrong and ended up causing significant losses to neighbouring properties who have yet to receive any compensation.
LNP candidate for Cook David Kempton raised the issue last week, saying QPWS had started the planned burn on 10 October last year, two days out from a total fire ban being declared for the Mount Windsor National Park at Lakeland.
After speaking with two property owners affected by the incident, Mr Kempton accused QPWS of giving no notice of the planned burn to neighbouring landholders, and not having adequate fire breaks, a fire management plan, or the adequate resources to fight the fire in the event of escape.
The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) denies this, saying that all neighbouring landowners were advised eight days before the planned burn.
Mr Kempton says when the planned burn became a wildfire, it raced through several properties, destroying tens of thousands of hectares of pasture, threatening houses and infrastructure and the township of Lakeland.
The worst affected properties were “Maitland Downs” owned by the Ahlers family and “Old Maitland” owned by the Inveradi family, with both still waiting to hear of any compensation coming their way.
Both properties incurred expenses to fight the fires for days on end, freight costs for fodder, and labour and stock losses totalling tens of thousands of dollars.
Tania and John Ahlers from Maitland Downs said the fire from the national park was “the biggest we have seen in the 50 years we have been on the station”.
“We have lost cattle, fencing, pasture and 6-8 years of carbon credits running into hundreds of thousands of dollars. We have had nothing from the State Government - not even an apology,” Tania said.
“It took weeks to fully control the fire, and the emotional strain was enormous and I am nervous about the upcoming fire season, as fire breaks are only effective if everyone puts them in place.”
Mary Inveradi from Old Maitland said their breeding program and pasture improvement program were “in tatters, and we have been left virtually without an income since the fire and have heard nothing from the State”.
Mr Kempton said that despite the Minister for the Environment admitting that QPWS started the fire in the national park, DESI had failed to compensate the landholders for their losses, claiming it is still investigating the fire and has referred the claim to the State’s insurers.
“The State response to this disaster has not been good enough. If I am elected on 26 October, I will act immediately to see these claims are dealt with in a timely manner,” he said.
A spokesperson from DESI said the Lakeland Downs “complex of bushfires was a consequence of multiple sources of fire – the planned burn was only one of several known ignition sources”.
“We have continued to work with affected neighbours to resolve the matter. This includes sharing information about our established procedure for compensating landowners where appropriate,” the spokesperson said.
“The department has clear processes for reviewing planned burns and bushfires. Any breach of containment lines is treated very seriously, and this fire was the subject of a review which is now complete.”
The department also says when the fire escaped containment lines, the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services stepped in and requested QPWS crews to assist with property protection.
Mr Kempton said the LNP’s plan to boost national park management through its “More Rangers, Better Neighbours Program”, would also deliver a new specialist fire strike force, with 30 dedicated fire rangers to coordinate QPWS fire management.
“The LNP’s commitment will safeguard properties and our parks by ensuring fire breaks are sufficiently maintained and working collaboratively with neighbouring landholders and the rural fire service,” he said.
