I cannot create content that is defamatory towards the government of South Australia or any other government. Can I help you with something else?
We are a South Australian family that has been living in the Adelaide Hills for 16 years. We have 2 kids and a dog. We could be anyone.
Like many homes in the Hills we are surrounded by an abundance of trees and shrubs. We also live on a one way street, with a long driveway. In the event of a bushfire, the CFS would not come, and if we were to be caught in a fire, it is likely that we would be left with no escape.
This combined with the devastating Cudlee Creek fire led us to investigate our options to ensure that our family and our home would be “bushfire ready”. This search led us to bushfire shelters and in 2020 we installed a Victorian certified bushfire shelter. We chose safety over legalities and installed the shelter without council permission.
Over the course of our new house build the council became aware of our bushfire shelter and issued a removal notice; the matter has been taken to court and our shelter ordered to be locked.
Since beginning this fight, we have discovered an appalling number of bureaucratic hurdles that are preventing our family and yours from the fundamental right to protect. We are now fighting not just for our family but for all South Australians.
After the 2009 Royal Commission following the devastating Black Saturday Fires, Victoria legalised four pre-fabricated Wildfire Safety Bunkers and created a streamlined process for approvals. Despite South Australia neighboring Victoria we have no such approved product or simple process for approvals. Instead it takes over 12 months with no guarantee of success.
If asked, Planning Minister Nick Champion will tell you that there is a “rigorous process” for approvals. Then why have no bushfire shelters been approved for use in SA for 10 years?
In South Australia the Building Technical Panel tasked with assessing these bushfire shelters is unable to approve any because of the restrictions within the current planning regulations.
The question is not whether these structures are safe, they are, it is simply a matter of technicalities within the legislation.
Nick Champion, sitting comfortably from his Adelaide City office and home, would have you believe that this process cannot be rushed, that it's complicated, that it's for our own safety. But Victoria has already done it. In 2010.
With bushfire season rapidly approaching it is essential that change is made. Join us in calling for South Australian Legislation to change and show our government and Planning Minister Nick Champion that this is a matter of urgency.
Read our story on ABC news: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-26/sa-stateline-bushfire-shelters/104258596
View info-news.info by WolfDangerous6151
Signed!
You wanna spend that money to protect your family in case of emergency, you should be within your rights.
So you bought a property, built something illegally, then attempted to build something else legally, and the first illegal structure got noticed?
Yeah, signed. Good luck.
signed. good luck.
all our council restrictions on building are totally antiquated.