Industry bands together to support bushfire victims; wants housing issues examined

Monday, 16 February 2009

Industry organisations in Australia have set up a Community Support Register for anyone who wishes to volunteer their equipment, assistance or messages of support for those affected by the fires in Victoria, the peak plantation forest and paper industry body, A3P, has announced.
An A3P statement said the register is an industry-wide initiative and is hosted on the VAFI website at www.vafi.org.au.
The register is now live and the offers will be matched with those in need and co-ordinated through the TCA office in Healesville.
Anyone with something to offer is encouraged to register it on the site.
“A3P would like to acknowledge the efforts of the employees and contractors of our Victorian members and the many interstate colleagues who have joined them in the major fire fighting effort in Victoria.
“A3P's new office manager Kim Gregory contributed as a member of the 2nd ACT Emergency Services Agency taskforce sent to Victoria last week.
Once all the fires are extinguished, the salvage and recovery process will be long and difficult. A3P and its members look forward to assisting in this process as and when appropriate,” the statement said.
In an additional note, A3P said that following the tragedy that had occurred in Victoria over the past two weeks, a range of issues would arise with respect to the construction of homes in bushfire prone areas.
This matter had been specifically identified in the terms of reference for the Royal Commission the government had launched into the bushfires.
“A3P is supporting other timber industry groups in developing a rational approach…that recognises the merits of a range of initiatives aimed at ensuring existing houses, as well as new houses, can meet agreed standards of construction.”
The response must be scientifically based and meet community expectations, the A3P said.
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