Background paper

This paper provides background about cultural burning practices in Australia and surveys some of the literature about the practice.

This literature review discusses prescribed burning, which has received the most attention in the scientific literature, as well as the use of mechanical fuel load reduction and livestock grazing as fuel management techniques.

This paper provides further detail on certain topics – particularly in relation to the ‘external affairs’ power in the Constitution, under which the Commonwealth Parliament can make laws to implement international agreements to which Australia is a party.

The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements has, to date, identified more than 240 formal analyses completed since 1927, resulting in thousands of findings and recommendations.

This background paper provides a brief overview of Australia’s existing national natural disaster arrangements.