Timber Towns Victoria delegates make their case in halls of power

TIMBER Towns Victoria recently took roads, AI fire cameras and policy to Parliament House, meeting with six parties and calling for pre-election commitments on three policies, one of which proves technology that has already detected 90 unplanned fires across Victoria in two seasons.

Timber Towns Victoria (TTV) met with representatives from the National, Liberal, Labor, One Nation, Shooters and Fishers, and Libertarian parties at the Victorian Parliament, presenting a three-priority 2026 Government Brief ahead of the state election.

TTV’s priority ask is calling for multi-year funding commitments for rural road repairs and dedicated funding for freight-critical bridge upgrades, citing accelerated deterioration across key regional corridors under heavier freight loads and more frequent severe weather events.

TTV president Cr Karen Stephens said roads are vital for the freight network as logs cannot be moved by rail due to the rural spread of plantation areas.

“We ask for a commitment to strengthening Victoria’s regional transport network by increasing roads and bridges maintenance funding, and prioritising long-term, durable solutions that support community safety and economic resilience,” Cr Stephens said.

TTV also calls for a statewide expansion of AI-enabled fire detection cameras.

The network has already detected almost 90 unplanned fires across Victoria over the past two fire danger seasons — 40 in 2023-24 and 46 in 2024-25.

In South Australia, the same system has detected almost 90 fires since rollout across more than one million hectares, with 90 per cent of coverage extending beyond plantations into surrounding communities.

The data was provided to TTV by the Victorian Forest Products Association (VFPA) and the Green Triangle Fire Alliance (GTFA), which manages the network across both states.

Cr Stephens said regional communities are looking for firm commitments.

“We ask for a commitment to supporting a safer Victoria through expanded fire camera coverage, modern AI-enabled detection systems, and long-term funding that protects communities, forests, and regional industries,” she said.

The technology uses AI, ultra-HD 360-degree cameras and satellite data to detect smoke and ignition points continuously across large landscapes, with all alerts verified by human analysts before dispatch.

Despite the proven results, Victorian coverage remains uneven, operational funding is inconsistent, and integration with the CFA, FFMVic and the SES is limited.

TTV is calling for statewide expansion, sustainable operational funding, and a fully integrated fire intelligence system connecting camera feeds with emergency services across all agencies.

On forest policy, TTV is calling for Victoria’s state policy settings to align with the Australian Government’s Timber Fibre Strategy, providing the coordinated framework that plantation investors, processors and regional employers need to plan and grow with confidence.

TTV will be seeking a formal response from all six parties on each priority ahead of the state election.

“We ask for a commitment to develop a whole-of-government forestry and fibre growth strategy to include streamlining planning and environmental approvals for plantation and processing projects, supporting investment in engineered timber and advanced wood manufacturing, and embedding forestry and fibre in Victoria’s climate and housing strategies,” Cr Stephens said.