THE message from the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission is clear.
The message is to replace all single wire earth return powerlines in Victoria "with aerial bundled cable, underground cabling or other technology that delivers greatly reduced bushfire risk".
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It wants this work completed within 10 years in the highest bushfire-risk areas, with the remaining lines replaced as they reach the end of their lives, which for many is not far off.
The cost would be huge. A recent Victorian Government and industry workshop calculated the cost of burying the SWER lines at $11.8 billion.
As for aerial bundling, it requires four times as many poles to be installed to carry the heavier cable, which would severely disrupt farming.
The commission also wants the state to progressively bury, bundle or use other technologies to safeguard all 22,000-volt lines, which would bring the total bill closer to $20 billion.
It's an absurd recommendation. Electricity prices would have to skyrocket to cover the cost.
We've heard arguments in recent days about governments, state and federal, chipping in funds to reduce the impact on electricity prices. But the consumer still pays - whether through higher taxes or higher power bills.
Mind you, the Government could just divert large chunks of its health, education and transport budgets into the powerline bury and bundle scheme.
No wonder Premier John Brumby has baulked at the idea. But that hasn't stopped the Victorian Coalition demanding the Government adopt this recommendation.
Perhaps it would be better to focus on the achievable, rather than the absurd.
The Commission, like so many other bodies before it, found Victoria's fire services levy was inequitable and called for it to be replaced with a property-based tax.
To its credit, the Coalition immediately embraced this recommendation and has promised to introduce a property-based tax if it gains government.
But at the moment, the biggest barrier to reforming Victoria's controversial Fire Services Levy is Premier John Brumby, who is totally unconvinced there is a "fairer" alternative to the FSL on insurance.
It's an increasingly risky strategy for a Premier who could end up being a lone voice in the political wilderness.
2009 VICTORIAN BUSHFIRES ROYAL COMMISSION
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
Electricity-caused fires
- replace all SWER (single wire earth return) power lines with aerial bundled cable, underground cabling or other technology. Replacement should be completed in the areas of highest bushfire risk within 10 years.
- replace all 22-kilovolt distribution feeders. Priority should be given to distribution feeders in areas of highest bushfire risk.
- disable the reclose function on the automatic circuit reclosers on all SWER lines for the six weeks of greatest risk in every fire season.
- adjust the reclose function on the automatic circuit reclosers on all 22-kilovolt feeders on all total fire ban days to permit only one reclose attempt before lockout.
Fuel-reduction burns
- Implement a long-term program of prescribed burning based on an annual rolling target of 5 per cent minimum of public land.
Property buy-out
- Implement a retreat and resettlement strategy for existing developments in areas of unacceptably high bushfire risk, including a scheme for non-compulsory acquisition.
Fire Services Levy
- Replace the Fire Services Levy with a property-based levy and introduce concessions for low-income earners.
Stay or Go
- to remain, but should enhance the role of warnings, utilise community refuges, bushfire shelters and evacuation and improve advice on the nature of fire and house defendability.
