Shadow Minister for Environment, Penny Sharpe has today warned that the bushfire risk in NSW has grown as a result of Berejiklian Government cuts to the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Figures obtained by the Opposition through Budget Estimates show that cuts to staff show that the Service is struggling to complete hazard reduction burns and maintenance of fire trails in the State’s national parks.

There are 870 National Parks and Reserves in NSW and the National Parks and Wildlife Service are responsible for and manages over nine per cent or eight million hectares of the land in the state.

Since 2011, over $100 million has been cut from the NPWS and there has been loss of 500 full time positions, equivalent to a 25 per cent cut in the National Parks and Wildlife Service with many of the staff leaving taking decades of firefighting experience and knowledge.

The figures provided by the Office of Environment and Heritage show that hazard reduction burning has dropped to its lowest level in 2016/2017 while fire trails have not been maintained or the Rural Fire Service has had do the work in a rush to get ready for this year’s very dangerous fire season.

Year Hectares treated in hazard reduction % of total area treated with hazard reduction Trails Maintained 12-13 208,000ha 83% 14,000km 13-14 110,000ha 82% 19,000km 14-15 116,000ha 87% 8,900km 15-16 203,800ha 77% 8,900km 16-17 88,136ha n/a n/a 17-18 95,589ha n/a n/a

Raising concerns about bushfire preparedness has been left to staff who have left the service and to the Australian Workers Union and the Public Service Association who represent the field officers and rangers in the Parks.

Quotes attributable to the Shadow Minister for Environment Penny Sharpe

“This year’s fire season is already off to a terrifying start yet these new figures show that bushfire preparation has been limited by the savage cuts that have occurred under the Berejiklian Government.

“The staff in National Parks do a wonderful job under increasingly difficult circumstances, but their efforts have been hampered by the loss of experience as a result of funding cuts, staff redundancies and a government who is only interested in undermining Parks, not looking after them.

“Current and former staff have raised with me their real fears of the impending fire season and how the Parks Service will be able to respond to fires in this very hot summer while also preparing for the millions of visitors that will want to visit and enjoy our parks and reserves over the summer holidays.

“These cuts have occurred with the support of the Environment Minister, Gabrielle Upton. The Minister must stop the cuts to the Parks and make sure the service has the staff and resources it needs to ensure our National Parks Service is able to manage bushfire risk this summer.”