A LONG-awaited joint government report into national bushfire management, released by Prime Minister John Howard today, has made 29 recommendations to improve bushfire preparedness.
Mr Howard said eight of the recommendations made in the National Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management report had already been implemented since he received the report last April.
These included continued national funding for firefighting aircraft and developing agreements for emergency broadcasting with the ABC.
Mr Howard announced the inquiry in October 2003 after one of south-eastern Australia's worst fire seasons.
The fierce summer included the firestorm that tore through Canberra's southern suburbs, killing four people and destroying about 500 homes.
Australian Democrats leader Lyn Allison criticised Mr Howard last week for delaying the release of the report. But Mr Howard said today that all state and territory governments had access to the report before it was officially released.
"Although the report and response have not been released until today, all states and territories have been able to use the report as a basis for planning responses to bushfires," Mr Howard said.
"The report focuses on opportunities to improve national cooperation and management of firefighting resources.
"We cannot prevent bushfires but we can be better prepared so we minimise their impact on life and property."
Mr Howard said the report highlighted the need for a better understanding of risk, a greater focus on mitigation and better cooperation across jurisdictions.
In addition, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) had decided that the Augmented Australasian Police Minister's Council would have a lead role in coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the report's recommendations, he said.
The inquiry also recommended additional resources to speed up research into fuel loads and dynamics for Australian ecosystems.
Fire behaviour and ecological responses needed to be characterised to develop burning guides from this information, which should then be compiled into nationally accessible databases, it said.
Inquiry chair Stuart Ellis AM said the recommendations were largely of a policy and strategic nature and the proposals for additional expenditure were modest.
"There is no way we can fireproof Australia, nor should this be our objective," he said in the report.
"We can reduce the risk, and both understand and better prepare for the impact of bushfires.
"The inquiry trusts that the report will provide an immediate focus for the national progress of bushfire mitigation and management, as well as the necessary reference and guidance for coming years."
Mr Howard announced last September that the Federal Government would give $24 million in the next three years towards national bushfire preparedness.
This funding is on top of its commitment of $68.5 million for the Natural Disaster Mitigation Program, announced in the 2003-04 Budget, which brings the total allocation for the program between 2003-04 and 2007-08 to $103.3 million.
The NSW Government welcomed the report, as it highlighted the fact that bushfires were inevitable.
"This report makes clear that bushfires are an inevitable part of the Australian landscape and so we must learn to live with and manage them," state Emergency Services Minister Tony Kelly said in a statement.
The minister said bushfire prevention was a complex process which involved more than just hazard reduction burns.
"It is not simply about taking a scorched earth approach to hazard reduction," he said.
"We're certainly not disputing that hazard reduction is a useful tool in helping reduce the intensity of fires under moderate conditions but as the report says, 'fuel reduction burning should not be seen as a panacea'."