I am pleased to announce that the Australian Government will spend an extra $61.2 million over the next four years, including $15 million in 2007-08, to fight bushfires.
The 2007-08 Budget provides funding to extend two bushfire initiatives, aerial fire fighting and the Bushfire Mitigation Program, which help the states, territories and local councils respond to the threat of bushfires.
Australians are world leaders in fighting bushfires and these Budget measures will help ensure our firefighters are in the best possible position to respond to emergencies when they occur.
The Government will provide $41.2 million over the next four years ($10 million in 2007-08) to help the states and territories lease aerial firefighting equipment. On a yearly basis, our spending on aerial firefighting will increase by 25 per cent from its current level, $8 million in 2006-07.
Aerial fire fighting is one of our key weapons in the fight against major bushfires, and the funding will enable the states and territories to lease more helicopters and fixed wing planes, above and beyond the 25 aircraft that we subsidised in 2006-07.
The aircraft will continue to be leased and positioned through the National Aerial Firefighting Centre, which ensures that our aerial firefighting resources are available where they are needed, regardless of the state and territory boundaries.
Extending the Bushfire Mitigation Program
The Australian Government will spend $20 million over the next four years ($5 million in 2007-08) to extend the Bushfire Mitigation Program, which helps fund fire trails and other measures to make it quicker and easier for firefighters to get bushfires under control.
The program was originally due to end in 2006-07. It will now continue until June 2011. The extension of the program will help fund more than 1000 new bushfire mitigation projects around Australia.
The Government introduced the program in 2004-05, and it has already helped fund significant infrastructure works, including the construction or upgrade of over 4000 kilometres of fire trails, the maintenance of more than 9000 kilometres of fire trails, the construction or repair of 58 bridges, the installation of 74 culverts, 39 water tanks, 11 other water supply projects and 88 fire trail signage projects.
All local councils and the state and territory governments are eligible to apply for funding assistance under the program. Fire trails on private land are also eligible for funding when the state or territory government has a written agreement with the landholder about liability, access and maintaining the trail.