Common Sense Prevails: Red-Tape Removed for Farmers Fighting Fires

ROBERT HEYWARD

It’s time to join the chorus

Title: The Angry Women’s Choir

Author: Meg Bignell

Price: $21.90

Publisher: Penguin

Australia

By Samantha Elley

Freycinet Barnes had no idea that getting hit by a car could do her the world of good.

A busy mum of three children with a husband running a successful business, she had somehow found herself in the background of all their lives.

From having, herself, an important career, to becoming the shadow that cooked and cleaned and ran everyone to their appointments, Frey was about to experience a change in her routine, thanks to a little journey over the bonnet of a car.

This is where she meets the culprits, Kiri and Joanna, members of the West Moona Women’s Choir.

They are suitably dismayed at the circumstances and insist she come with them on the way to their rehearsal just to make sure she is okay.

It is here Frey meets the messy, beautiful, conglomeration of women whose voices join together to make a powerful sound not just of music, but on issues they feel need raising in 2019.

When Freycinet uncovers a heart-breaking secret that could tear her perfect world apart, she turns to the choir for support and they open their arms wide.

A kaleidoscope of emotions, including anger, laughter, love and sorrow, are dealt with among this motley bunch of women. There are many laugh out loud moments, balanced by those that will cause you to shed a tear.

Meg Bignell is a writer, farmer and mother who sometimes acts, sings and presents.

The Angry Women’s Choir is her third book and she lives in Tasmania on a dairy farm with her husband, three children, one doge and 800 cows.

You can order your copy of the book from www.booktopia.com.au

The Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) has applauded the NSW Government’s decision to remove bureaucratic barriers that previously restricted farmers from using their water resources to fght fres on their properties and adjacent lands.

Key Legislative Changes

The NSW Government’s amendments to the Water Management (General) Regulation 2018 grant farmers greater fexibility and effciency in managing fre emergencies. Key changes include:

• Use of Surface and Groundwater: Farmers can now access streams, creeks, and rivers on or adjacent to their properties without requiring a water licence or approval.

• Firefghting and

Preparedness: Water can be used not only for fghting fres but also for: o Controlled burns and training exercises under the authority of frefghting agencies like the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS). o Equipment testing to ensure readiness.

• Water Storage:

Farmers can now store up to 100,000 litres of water annually in tanks or dams for future frefghting purposes.

A Victory for Common Sense

CMA Chairman, Mayor Rick Firman OAM, hailed the changes as a much-needed victory for rural and regional communities:

“The CMA Board and our 92 Members warmly welcome this decision made by NSW Emergency Services Minister, the Hon. Jihad Dib MP, and our NSW Government – common sense has prevailed!”

Mayor Firman emphasized the urgency of the reforms, especially given the overlap between the extended U.S. fre season and Australia’s fre period, which limits the availability of largescale aerial frefghting resources.

Preparedness for the Fire Season

The amendments come just in time for the summer fre period, addressing longstanding frustrations among rural landholders. Mayor Firman praised the NSW Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib for his proactive approach:

“These amendments are overdue, but credit where it’s due. CMA warmly thanks Minister Dib and our State Government for implementing this common-sense approach.”

Implications for Farmers and Rural Communities

The removal of red tape empowers landholders to:

• Act quickly during fre emergencies.

• Prepare for bushfres more effectively.

• Collaborate with frefghting agencies to safeguard their properties and surrounding communities.

This decision refects a signifcant shift toward recognizing and supporting the vital role rural landholders play in managing and mitigating bushfre risks.

A Collaborative Approach to Fire Management

The CMA sees this decision as a positive step toward improving fre management in regional areas, highlighting the importance of local knowledge and resources in combating natural disasters.

For more information about the amendments and how they impact landholders, visit the NSW Rural Fire Service website or contact your local council.