EAST Gippsland farmer Andrew French has welcomed the review into last summer's bushfire responses across the State - and called for a change in vegetation legislation to protect properties.
Mr French and his family spent eight days protecting their farm in the Deddick Valley from the bushfires in January.
They lost livestock, 81 hectares of pasture and 90pc of their fencing.
He was advised by DEPI this week that a quote for $100,000 to replace that fencing (erected three years ago at a cost of $150,000) has been rejected..
"They're disputing the amount it will cost to replace the boundary fences," he said.
"We need seven-strand wild dog proof fencing and ringlock so we can put stock securely back on that country.
"Three of the fires that burnt our place were DEPI backburns that got out of control.
"The fire shouldn't have even got that far - it should have been put out in a couple of days by helicopters.
"There seems to be no motivation to put out the fires and just watch them, praying for rain."
Mr French is also annoyed about the vegetation restrictions and says legislation should be changed.
"We received a letter advising us we're not allowed to clear more than a four-metre zone from the fence line and we've got 20m trees hanging over us from the public land side," he said.
At the Glenaladale meeting in June, Mr Lapsley also called for a change in vegetation legislation.
Kim Wells said he was concerned about community claims that 200 volunteers from NSW were available but were not used on the Goongerah-Deddick-Bonang complex fires.
He also said Mr Pearce would investigate claims that DEPI was slow to deploy bulldozer contractors.
"The issue that's been put to us by people at Cann River, Goongerah and in the Bonang area was that people were employed as private contractors that were put into the mix and there was not an efficient use of those resources," Mr Wells said on regional radio.
"We need to make sure those claims are dealt with."
