House of Representatives Committees

House Select Committee on the recent Australian bushfires

Resolution of Appointment

(1) That a Select Committee on the recent Australian Bushfires be appointed to identify measures that can be implemented by governments, industry and the community to minimise the incidence of, and impact of bushfires on, life, property and the environment.

(2) That the Committee shall have specific regard to:

(a) the extent and impact of the bushfires on the environment, private and public assets and local communities;
(b) the causes of and risk factors contributing to the impact and severity of the bushfires, including land management practices and policies in national parks, state forests, other Crown land and private property;
(c) the adequacy and economic and environmental impact of hazard reduction and other strategies for bushfire prevention, suppression and control;
(d) appropriate land management policies and practices to mitigate the damage caused by bushfires to the environment, property, community facilities and infrastructure and the potential environmental impact of such policies and practices;
(e) any alternative or developmental bushfire mitigation and prevention approaches, and the appropriate direction of research into bushfire mitigation;
(f) the appropriateness of existing planning and building codes, particularly with respect to urban design and land use planning, in protecting life and property from bushfires;
(g) the adequacy of current response arrangements for firefighting;
(h) the adequacy of deployment of firefighting resources, including an examination of the efficiency and effectiveness of resource sharing between agencies and jurisdictions;
(i) liability, insurance coverage and related matters;
(j) the roles and contributions of volunteers, including current management practices and future trends, taking into account changing social and economic factors.

(3) That the Committee consist of 14 members, 8 members to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips and 6 members to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any independent Member.

(4) That every nomination of a member of the Committee be forthwith notified in writing to the Speaker.

(5) That the Committee have leave to report from time to time but that it present its final report no later than 6 November 2003.

(6) That the foregoing provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything in the standing orders.

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