We need uniform laws around bushfire zoning
As my wife and I were to attend a recent insurance conference on the Gold Coast we flew up a day early so that we could catch up with some very long standing friends. They had moved from their beautiful ocean side apartment up to a 10 acre block in the Tallebudgera Valley. This is in the Gold Coast hinterland.
They had only recently purchased the home but true to form for this hyperactive couple they were already doing renovations and building a self contained guest suite under the home. I was staggered at how quick they were able to get things moving and asked how they were able to get through the permit stage so quick when clearly there would be subject to a Bushfire Management Overlay. You can see why I made this assumption from the satellite image from Google Maps below and the fact that there is only one road in and out of their and several other properties.
I was gobsmacked to learn that they had checked with council and there was no bushfire management overlay for their property.
Compare this to Victoria where properties in Seaford, located across the four lane Nepean Highway are subject to a Bushfire Management Overlay.
This makes no sense to me and shows that the stupid decisions that we all learned about the colonies when it came to railway gauges still continues to this day. In the 21st Century we would like to think we are smarter.
Does Queensland need a Black Saturday with the horrific death toll to wake up to themselves? Why can’t we stop the problem before it happens by learning from each other. Children have to learn for themselves and often do not listen to their parents. Is it the same for politicians and planning departments?
This is yet another example of government and developers setting up families to fail. We see it with the mess with non conforming building materials and governments at all levels that continue to allow development in flood zones, areas prone to storm surge, and refuse to address risk mitigation strategies.
And do not get me started again on the horrific level of taxes on insurance that price farmers, home and business owners from getting insurance to protect them from these man made disasters.
I will now go and lock up the razor blades and sleeping tablets!