Will Hodgman,Premier
Aboriginal cultural burning practices, undertaken for tens of thousands of years, have helped shape the Tasmanian landscape we know today.
In recognising this rich cultural and environmental understanding, the Tasmanian Government will be committing three new specialist Aboriginal positions within the Parks and Wildlife Service to further strengthen our understanding of and practice in land management and cultural burning methods, and the impact of fire on Aboriginal heritage.
The Government will also invite Aboriginal representation on the Statewide Fuel Reduction Steering Committee, to provide expert advice on fire management practices and to further assist agencies to learn from and utilise traditional management techniques.
We will also establish a pilot Grants Program with $100,000 available to support Tasmanian Aboriginal communities to engage in cultural burning practices within their local community area.
As our nation suffers from devastating bushfires, we should draw on the deep connection Tasmanian Aboriginals have with the land and share this knowledge in improved land management practices, to help reduce the impact of wildfires in our community.
