The laws will encourage home owners to responsibly manage fire risks on their properties, allow the Rural Fire Service to direct a Bush Fire Management Committee to amend its risk management plan if it’s considered to be inadequate and give the RFS Commissioner the power to carry out hazard reduction on land without the consent of the owner, if reasonable attempts to contact the owner have failed.  Penalties will also be increased for anyone caught impersonating an emergency service worker, and new laws for littering involving cigarettes and matches.  Home owners adjacent to and those in close proximity to bushland will not need to get permission to clear trees within 10 metres of their homes, or their own land. They will also be able to clear undergrowth and shrubs within 50 metres of their homes, on their own land.  We’ve already seen massive bush fires this year which have caused damage on a huge scale across NSW and we need to ensure the community is as prepared as it possibly can be for future bush fires. 

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People who want to understand, prevent and respond to suicide but don’t know where to begin will be given practical support to guide conversations around suicide following the launch of a new suite of online resources by the NSW government. 

Conversations Matter, is the first program of its kind in the world and will support people wanting to talk about suicide and help to break down the barriers that prevent people from reaching out to one another.    For more information or to access the resource please visit www.conversationsmatter.com.au.