14 December 2007

Dear Bushfire CRC partner

2007 draws to a close with the Bushfire CRC over the half way point in its current program. And with that the Bushfire CRC carries a strong sense of obligation to deliver on its early promise with outcomes that ultimately lead to safer communities across Australia and New Zealand.

If there was any question of whether the issue of fire is on the national agenda you only need to refer to the speech by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change in Bali, Indonesia, this week.

The Prime Minister said climate change was an emerging reality and one of the three signs of its presence was the fact that “bushfires are becoming more ferocious and more frequent”.

This year, the Bushfire CRC continued to produce research outputs that stakeholders may use to provide for safer communities.

Our challenge in 2008 for all of us - Bushfire CRC staff, researchers and stakeholders – is the translation of these research outputs into industry ready materials to assist end users in the take up of what is available. This will be a primary focus and we all will have a role in working out how best to achieve this aim.

Early feedback from recent meetings with Stakeholders indicates a high level of support for ongoing research to underpin agency policies and procedures and to address the gaps in our knowledge. This research is vital to meet the challenges in the longer term.

And finally, it is enormously encouraging that we close the year knowing that, together with AFAC, we have a broad commitment to develop a strong business case to support an application for ongoing funding of research.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the researchers and students for their efforts and the end-users for their support throughout this year. I’d also like to thank the Program Leaders and End-User Leaders for their guidance and advice on advancing collaboration and research adoption.

The good working relationships that are evident between the Bushfire CRC Governing Board, the office team and AFAC pave the way for a rewarding year in 2008. These positive relationships combined with a diligence in everyone’s work gives me confidence that a high degree of Bushfire CRC research adoption and success in the funding bid will be achieved in the New Year.

Best wishes to you and your family for Christmas and the New Year,

Gary Morgan
Chief Executive Officer
Bushfire CRC