Thumbs down to refuge push

KIM WATERS
Geelong’s council has refused to back State Government’s push for construction of community bushfire refuges, according to a councillor.
Andy Richards said the Government’s plan to adopt national standards for “neighbourhood safe places” did not have council support “at this stage”.
Cr Richards believed the Government should instead designate the refuges as “places of last resort” to avoid residents using them rather than fleeing when they still had the chance.
Cr Richards said he had taken up the refuges plan with Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), which represents the state’s councils.
“I will continue to follow it through until it’s fixed.”
A MAV document said State Government had requested Australian Building Code Board develop “national standards” for construction of community fire refuges by May, 2012.
“In the interim the Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development and the building commission are developing performance requirements for the community refuges that Victoria could not adopt ahead of any national standards,” the document said.
“The Government plans to amend the Victorian Building Regulations 2006 by July 2011 to prescribe these performance requirements for use in Victoria and will release the revised fire refuge policy.”
The Independent revealed that councillors had expressed disappointment with State Govern-ment’s Bushfires Royal Commission Report in October.