Barnett rules out calls for fire probe
Premier Colin Barnett yesterday rejected calls for a wide-ranging inquiry into the bushfire that destroyed 72 homes, saying the State's procedures "worked brilliantly" because no one died.
Mr Barnett vowed Cabinet would scrutinise the level of prescribed burning in the Roleystone-Kelmscott area in the years leading up to Sunday's inferno.
He promised to review local bylaws and building codes that allowed people to have trees close to houses.
The Opposition called yesterday for a royal commission but Mr Barnett insisted there would be no wide-ranging probe into the Fire and Emergency Services Authority or the handling of the fire.
"FESA will do its own investigation, which we have full confidence in," he said. "Every time there's a fire there are calls, 'Let's have an inquiry, let's have a review'. Sorry. It worked brilliantly.
"For 72 homes to be totally destroyed and no one to have lost their lives or suffered serious injury is just fantastic."
Bushfire Front chairman Roger Underwood and Sandy Lewis, from the Locals Against Wildfire Association, this week called for a public inquiry independent of FESA amid claims the authority was an "apologist for its behaviour".
FESA will adhere to procedure and appoint an external company to review the way the bushfires were managed.
Chief operations officer Craig Hynes said it would probably cover how well the organisation was prepared and the mobilisation of resources and decision-making.
He said he also wanted the issue of losses resulting from ember attacks on air-conditioning systems to be reviewed.
Mr Hynes said the performance of the State Alert system would also be reviewed.
A geo-positioning system was being developed that would allow FESA to send messages to all mobiles in fire areas, not just those registered to an address.
