WIMMERA farmers have welcomed a State Government commitment that will allow them faster access to their properties and livestock during a bushfire.
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Bushfire Response Minister Kim Wells has promised to establish an escort vehicle service to allow farmers to get past roadblocks after bushfires.
Thousands of livestock were destroyed in the Grampians bushfire in January.
Brimpaen Fire Brigade second lieutenant and farmer Luke Dunn said the region’s farmers would welcome any changes to roadblock rules.
“During the January fires there were issues with Department of Environment and Primary Industries staff and a private vet held up at roadblocks,” he said.
“Most farmers stayed at their properties to battle the fires, but there were individual experiences, not so much in relation to animal husbandry, but people stopped when trying to get back to their property to check on livestock.”
Mr Dunn lost five rams and 141 in-lamb ewes in the bushfire.
He said farmers had been pushing to get changes to the roadblock system for some time.
“Fire-fighters were also trying to get back to their properties and were slowed down significantly,” he said.
“I would welcome any changes to the system.”
Victorian Farmers Federation president Peter Tuohey said farmers struggling to get through the emergency services’ traffic management points after fires was a huge animal welfare issue.
“Our livestock producers need to get back to their animals as quickly as possible after a fire to make sure they’re not suffering or in need of veterinary care, are secure and have access to adequate food and water,” he said.
“Allowing farmers more timely access is important, not in only in regard to their animals, but it will also enable a faster recovery of the businesses so vital to rural Victoria.
“We’re looking to Labor to make a similar commitment.”
Shadow Emergency Services Minister Wade Noonan called for an inquiry into how the roadblock system could be improved in February.
Mr Noonan said the Grampians bushfire demonstrated some problems with road closures, particularly in the days after the fire.
“There were reports of desperate farmers being unable to access their properties to feed or destroy starving and injured livestock,” he said.
Brimpaen farmer Ivan Smith said the roadblock system was better than it had been, but still needed improvement.
He said there were some instances during the Grampians bushfire when property owners, private fire-fighting appliances and authorities had been held up at traffic management points for long periods.
“One fireman had been fighting the fires and got the message it was coming to his place,” he said.
“They stopped him at a roadblock and didn’t want him getting through, even though he had all his gear on.”
