Greetings to all Bushfire CRC partners,
This year was a challenging one for most Bushfire CRC member
agencies. The year was barely underway when we faced extreme
weather events that lead to floods in the north and tragic fires in
Victoria.
But amidst the challenges the Bushfire CRC recorded some notable
achievements in 2009:
· Our research output
continues to meet or exceed what is expected in our Commonwealth
Agreement.
· Our research output
now totals well over 800 separate items – research reports,
journal articles, conference presentations and posters, and
books.
· The annual conference
on the Gold Coast attracted 1100 participants from our industry to
hear more on the progress of our research and the workshops were
again successful in assisting in the transfer of knowledge.
· Our work with the
Victorian agencies and the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal
Commission demonstrated the great importance of a bushfire research
coordinating body that can quickly draw on expertise both in
Australia and internationally.
· The Australian
Government extended the life of the Bushfire CRC through to
2013.
As 2009 draws to a close, and along with it our seven year
research program, it is clear that the priorities for our industry
have changed in ways unforseen by our industry at the start of this
decade.
Much of our current research program was shaped by the
priorities of the day and has served us well. Today our focus has
evolved somewhat to change centred on climate and drought,
demographic shifts, new demands with workplace health and safety,
and emerging technology.
To this mix we can add a range of issues arising out of the
tragic Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria during February. It is
with these new priorities that we look ahead and plan a strategic
research agenda to take us into 2010 and beyond.
As partners, we must continue to work closely together to better
understand and prioritise the research issues arising from the 2009
Victorian Bushfires on the management of extreme bushfire risk and
to place these in the context of the broader research needs of the
industry.
The Bushfire CRC received an additional three years funding from
the Australian Government; $15 million for research in the period
2010-2013. We will use this to conduct research into national
issues arising from the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission
and to begin research that we have all identified as being required
to meet the industry’s needs by 2020.
Further work has begun to identify an appropriate research
vehicle and funding sources to secure the future of longer term
fire-related research in Australia. This action follows the bid
earlier this year, and subsequent feedback, to obtain CRC Program
funds for an ongoing research program. It was during that bid
process that the industry committed to ongoing funding for quality
research to underpin its policies and procedures. The importance of
a science-based approach has been highlighted by the increasing
number of third party inquiries that industry is being subjected
to.
Discussions between our industry and research partners will
continue on how best to build on the success of the Bushfire CRC.
Into the future, Australia needs to conduct research across a range
of fields for the benefit of our broad industry and the communities
they serve. As one of the most bushfire prone areas on earth, the
nation needs an end-user lead institute that will work closely with
similar bodies internationally and will collaborate with
organisations with an association with fire in areas such as
building, planning, local government, health, media, risk
management, insurance, water and power, and telecommunications.
Our industry has come a long way over the past decade –
and a long way over the past year. A broadly-based, nationally
coordinated research program with international links is a
worthwhile aim for our future. I welcome you to join us as we move
forward.
In concluding may I, on
behalf of the Board and the staff at the Bushfire CRC office, take
the opportunity to express my continuing thanks to all those in the
wider Bushfire CRC ‘community’ for the efforts you have
put in over the past year.
My very best wishes to you
and your family for a Happy Christmas and a safe and successful New
Year.
Gary Morgan
Chief Executive Officer
Bushfire CRC
16 December 2009
