Living With the Bush

Melbourne’s most beautiful green havens will be potentially scarred after the passage of new regulations allowing vegetation to be cleared within ten metres of homes to make them safer according to a planning expert.

RMIT’s Michael Buxton told Jon Faine it was simplistic to declare “trees are bad” after studying the effect of the changes on towns in the Dandenongs and Upper Yarra Ranges. Mr. Buxton described the new rules as “classic buckpassing” to individuals by Government rather than decision making about what is safe or unsafe based on proper scientific evidence.

But the Environment Minister told Jon the warning was an overreaction to a “worst case scenario” and the Government was simply allowing people to exercise their own power over decision making rather than leaving them to the mercy of Councils. Gavin Jennings agreed that some vegetation will actually slow up fires but said that others will accelerate flames.

Then the spotlight turned to Melbourne University where hundreds of academics and staff will walk off the job this afternoon. Matthew McGowan from the National Tertiary Education Union told Jon why.

.. We looked ahead to a crucial deadline in the bitter dispute between MICA paramedics and Ambulance Victoria .. and reminisced over the ten years since Jeff Kennett lost the unlosable election.

You didn’t miss a thing. Listen now online to Jon Faine’s hectic half hour .. and don’t forget his Friday videoblogwrapping the big stories of the week. Download Hectic 7-9-09