Ward 3 Liberal candidate and former state MP Roza Sage is calling on Blue Mountains Council to get serious about reducing the bushfire threat, labelling a plan to provide two extra green bin collections so close to the election as a "political stunt".
"Extra green bin collections are always welcome, but if council was truly committed to better bushfire readiness it would have provided the services the month before the bushfire season started in September, rather than a couple of weeks before the council elections in December," Mrs Sage said.
"Everyone remembers the terrible loss of homes from bushfires in recent years. It is etched in the minds of those who lived through those catastrophic events, and they need to protect their properties."
However Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill hit back at the claims and said he was "astounded Ms Sage would even raise the issue ... as she had failed when it mattered most ... during the 2013 fires".
Mrs Sage said council was not addressing "a major bushfire risk [of] uncontrolled growth on council land bordering homes. Legally permissible clearing of hazards ... is not encouraged by the Labor-led council."
And she claimed the timing of the recent green bins decision demonstrated the Labor council was "more interested in saving councillors' political careers than saving homes and lives".
If elected she would bring in two extra weekly green bin services prior to the start of the bushfire season and cut "red and green tape [so a] 20 metre gap for weed control and bushfire protection can be established on council land backing onto residential properties".
Cr Greenhill countered that the former Member for the Blue Mountains "either has a short memory or no shame. When her government tried to backflip on its promise to clear the blocks of those who lost their homes it was me, and not Ms Sage, who got that decision reversed."
"Council also ran the recovery process after her government walked away from our community."
He said council manages more than 280 separate asset protection zones, in targeted locations at the bushland interface, in line with Rural Fire Service best practice guidelines.
"I would trust the experts before trusting someone who so utterly failed in this space when it mattered most. Council has no role in hazard reduction on private land. Those responsibilities rest with the NSW RFS."
He also said there was "no red tape or green tape at council in relation to bushfire protection. Ms Sage's statements to the contrary are false. Bushfire management is complex and we work in well with expert agencies."
"The claim council doesn't encourage clearing is offensive and wrong. We promote clearing to the limits of state government law."
He said the green bins announcement was not political.
"There was a pandemic on. We kept our staff out of the workplace as much as possible to keep them safe. That is why we commenced after lockdown."
Mrs Sage accused the mayor of "trying to take credit for work by the state government".
"His comments are a cynical attempt to distract from a critical failing of council and being called out on a political stunt before the election."
"This is typical Mark Greenhill trying to take credit for work done by the state government ... he spent more time chasing TV cameras than helping the recovery process".
Blue Mountains district manager Superintendent Nick Medianik said "Blue Mountains City Council has always worked in a proactive, positive and cooperative manner with the NSW RFS with regards to all aspects of bush fire mitigation works."
His full response is here
