Victorian Bushfires

About this Item
Speakers - Smith Mr Greg; Aplin Mr Greg; Brown Mr Matt; Berejiklian Ms Gladys; McBride Mr Grant; O'Dea Mr Jonathan; Martin Mr Gerard; Hopwood Mrs Judy; Stewart Mr Tony; Baird Mr Mike; Shearan Mr Allan; Provest Mr Geoff
Business - Condolence

VICTORIAN BUSHFIRES

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Condolence Motion

Debate resumed from an earlier hour.

Mr GREG SMITH (Epping) [11.40 a.m.]: I join with so many others in expressing condolences to the people of Victoria, particularly those whose relatives have died in this terrible conflagration we have seen over the past month. Bob Dylan wrote a great song called Blowin' in the Wind, which contained many prophetic passages, one of which is:

Some have interpreted the thing that blows in the wind as the Holy Spirit, but I think in the context of the bushfires it is the incendiary quality of gum trees—eucalypts in hot and fiery conditions. Eucalyptus oil in trees causes them to explode in firestorms. We have all seen on television the bewildering speed of a fire running along like some sort of evil spirit that can be seen in modern movies such as The Lord of the Rings. No-one in the path of this terrible incendiary force has a chance to put it out or to do anything to divert it.

To my mind the worst way of dying is to be burnt to death. I had a much older cousin from Bega who put petrol on top of some green wood to burn it off, which was a practice he had adopted for years. Unfortunately, one day he was set alight. I remember visiting him in St Vincent's Hospital, where he was slowly dying of septicaemia after more than 90 per cent of his body had been burnt. The man was just wrinkled up and the smell was terrible. People should not have to go through that form of death when perhaps—and I hope it is more than perhaps—something can be done. Have there been sufficient deaths to know that we have to do something drastic about keeping the forests at least clear of fallen branches and burning off more regularly?

My colleague the member for Blue Mountains would be far more knowledgeable about these things but there is a reserve behind my house in Epping where there are many gum trees and from time to time borers get into the trees and they die. The trees are felled but they are just left lying on the ground. That is tinder, and from time to time when it is very hot we are afraid that the whole area could go up in flames, probably burning down many houses in a fire caused by the incendiary gums. Most people have gum trees in their backyards, which is a great thing—they look good. But they are dangerous. Not only do they blow up in bushfires but they also fall over. I am not trying to get into a debate about how hard it is to cut down gum trees but I think they have been put too close to houses and that people sometimes live too much among the gum trees. Don Burke had a famous song as the theme tune for his television show and the song's chorus was, "Give me a home among the gum trees". But, unfortunately, we are living on a time bomb.

I have experienced the fear of a bushfire. In 1984 many parts of Sydney were threatened by bushfires. At the time I lived in Lane Cove, not that far from areas of the national park, and our street was threatened. All the residents in the street came out of their houses, smoke was everywhere, you could see flames, and people were evacuating houses in other streets. A couple of ladies lived across the road from our house and they were panicking because they had palm fronds on their roof. I removed the fronds. I am not saying there was anything great about my doing that; I am just pointing out how we rallied as a street, just as people rallied so well to support each other. The fire brought people together as we experienced a genuine fear, even though the fire was some distance away. It was frightening to inhale heavy smoke, have it in your hair and all through the house, and to see the oncoming fire that we thought might jump Epping Road and come over to our side.

However, that was minor. Being in the middle of an uncontrollable fire would be one of the most terrifying experiences, if not the most terrifying experience. Unfortunately, people do silly things in times of fear because they do not think straight. A friend of mine in the 1994 fires foolishly ran back into his house to collect heirlooms when the house was surrounded by fire. A fireball entered the house after he ran back in, but luckily the emergency services and bushfire volunteers were there and one of them dragged him out of his house and got him to safety. Another friend was so scared that it caused him to resign from his job. His resignation was quickly accepted but, unfortunately, when he changed his mind he could not get his job back. It was a terrible experience for him and something he regretted doing, because he wanted to keep working. My neighbours were terrified during the 1994 fire, but imagine the terror when the fire is actually in your street and in your house. It would be dreadful. I cannot think of anything worse.

On a number of occasions recently the subject of penalties that apply to people who light fires has been raised. I believe a man has been charged with arson causing death, lighting a bushfire and other offences in relation to a fire in the Churchill area in Gippsland where at least 11 people died. A similar situation has occurred here in Sydney where firefighting volunteers have been charged with lighting fires. In 2005 the Court of Criminal Appeal dealt with a case that arose out of bushfires in the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The appellant was a fellow who had become a probationary member of the Coal and Candle Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade in 2003, had completed the basic firefighting course and had been assigned to a firefighting crew from December 2003. By January 2004, when the bush in the McCarrs Creek area in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park was like tinder, he lit a Jiffy firelighter and threw it into the bush. Then he drove a short distance, lit another one and threw that into the bush. One of those firelighters burnt an area of approximately 20 metres by 15 metres. The other firelighter burnt only a small area and members of the Rural Fire Service were able to extinguish it.

This man continued on his terrible frolic. From time to time he would ring the local brigade president and offer his assistance in fighting a fire that he had lit. One of these fires burnt for five days and burnt 1,480 hectares of the national park, with a perimeter of 32.5 kilometres. Approximately $1 million was expended in combating the fire, which involved 443 personnel, more than 50 vehicles and 8 aircraft. Although there were no houses destroyed, various settlements were threatened, damage was caused to water and communication supplies of the Akuna Bay marina and a number of firefighting personnel suffered injuries as a result: a broken ankle, eye injuries, a torn ligament, a back injury and dehydration. The habitat of a large number of native species was damaged.

I am afraid our criminal justice system does not deal well with these matters. A number of sentences were imposed, the longest being a non-parole period of 22 months, the balance of seven months to be served as periodic detention. This man caused more than $1 million worth of damage and risked lives and property and that was the court's judgement. Thankfully, the Court of Criminal Appeal increased the sentence on a Crown appeal. The offender ended up with a number of fixed terms, amounting to five years and two months with a minimum of two years and eight months to be served. That is still not much when the penalty under section 203E of the Crimes Act provides that a person who intentionally causes a fire and who is reckless as to the spread of the fire to vegetation on any public land or on land belonging to another is guilty of an offence with a penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment. That refers to people who deliberately or recklessly light fires; it is not aimed at people burning off or doing authorised work. Of course, such offenders may have mental problems. We have too many people in our community who indulge in that sort of behaviour and we often hear of fires being deliberately lit during high fire danger periods.

The answer is to scrutinise volunteers more closely. I do not mean any insult, but this man was a volunteer. And he is not the first to have deliberately lit a fire. The actions of such people reflect on volunteers, who put their lives at risk and who are the cream of our society. In wartime that sort of behaviour would be seen as treason. We are not talking about the volunteers themselves but about people who are minded to set bushfires. Unfortunately, the penalties imposed by the courts are not harsh enough and they do not provide a deterrent. In many other cases much lighter penalties have been imposed on people who have started fires. Some have even avoided a custodial sentence. In fact, custodial sentences appear to be the exception.

We must also clean up the bush and allow action to be taken much more readily to remove flammable materials. We must scrutinise carefully people who exhibit unusual behaviour, who are known firebugs and who we suspect are firebugs. We must watch them much more carefully, and perhaps impose restrictions on their activities. We impose such restrictions on parolees and on young people who are deemed not to warrant a custodial sentence but who still require supervision. We do it reasonably well in those cases and we must find a way to deal better with firebugs, because they cause so much damage.

That does not detract from the terrible tragedy that has occurred. As always, the Australian people have responded magnificently—never as magnificently as on this occasion. That response has been not only with money and goods but also with volunteers. Governments and charities such as the Red Cross and the St Vincent de Paul Society have sent people to Victoria to help. The greatest thing one can do is to give one's life for one's friends. Ultimately we are all friends and we all face these dangers from time to time. We must cooperate and work together in response.

Mr GREG APLIN (Albury) [11.53 a.m.]: I join with the Premier, the Leader of the Opposition and other members of the House in this motion by registering the condolences of the people of the electorate of Albury for all those in Victoria who suffered so greatly in the terrible bushfires of Saturday 7 February and since that dreadful day. We grieve for the families, friends and communities who have lost so much, for the overwhelming destruction of homes, businesses, pasture, livestock, infrastructure and the environment. We pledge our support to assist in the rebuilding of lives and property.

As I left Albury late on Monday afternoon there was a convoy of Rural Fire Service vehicles assembled behind the emergency service headquarters near the airport. This is the base for the regional Rural Fire Service and it has been operating the Albury Fire Management Centre continuously since 1.00 p.m. on Saturday 7 February. Monday saw another crew of volunteer firefighters from New South Wales flown into Albury to assemble, be briefed and take commission of tankers and support vehicles. For more than three weeks convoys of Rural Fire Service vehicles have converged on the northern staging point at Albury. There is evidence everywhere of mobilisation to assist Victorian counterparts, including electronic signs on the Hume Highway directing drivers to the staging point, crews of Rural Fire Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service firefighters, paramedics and State Forests personnel at the airport and in town and columns of Rural Fire Service vehicles on the main roads.

The city of Albury and the surrounding area have frequently been shrouded in smoke from the bushfires burning near Beechworth and in other parts of north-east Victoria. The airport was shut for a period on Sunday 8 February. The threat of bushfire remains very real for this part of southern New South Wales and north-eastern Victoria, but nothing prepared people for the shock of the devastation wrought by the infernos further south. The catastrophe has rocked our nation and it has elicited responses from all quarters. I recognise the unstinting service of volunteer and professional firefighters, paramedics, police and State Emergency Service members, Australian Defence Force personnel, relief agencies, fundraisers and charities and the thousands of people in our State who have contributed in some way to connect with the living victims of this tragedy. The call for assistance was heard and was answered. The supreme sacrifice of Canberra firefighter David Balfour in the line of duty will always be remembered.

There have been many acts of kindness over the past couple of weeks. Rotary clubs in Albury and the community centre in Corowa organised donations of goods and toiletries and packed them for distribution through relief centres. Service clubs allocated funds to purchase fodder from farmers who had been forced by drought to cut and bale their crops so that the feed could be transported to the surviving but starving stock where the pasture had been completely destroyed. Albury businesswoman and long-time acquaintance, Susan Hines, contacted my office to offer assistance as a hairdresser, indicating that the company she represented, PPS Hairwear Australia, was willing to donate $35,000 worth of hair-care products. Her aim was to set up a temporary salon in an affected area to enable survivors and others impacted by the fires to have their hair done and to feel just a little bit better in themselves, even if it was just for a short time.

We directed her to my colleague across the border, Bill Tilley, the Victorian State member for Benambra, who arranged with others for the temporary salon to be set up at the neighbourhood house in Wallan. Murray King of Budget Rent a Car in Albury donated an eight-tonne truck for transporting the donations and a commuter van to ferry survivors to and from their appointments. Men, women and children had their hair done. They talked to the hardworking hairdressers and for a while the edge was taken off the pain. Bill Tilley told me the hairdressing service would be extended to Kinglake in an effort to give survivors there just a small moment to escape and to feel normal. It is this type of voluntary initiative that says so much about the character of our community. To Susan and her many colleagues and assistants, I thank you and all the countless others who have worked tirelessly to relieve the pain and suffering in so many ways.

Living so close to Victoria, it is no wonder that many residents of the Albury electorate share much in common with our southern neighbours. After Black Saturday there was the anguish for friends and relatives, the desire to assist, to raise funds, to do something for communities that are in our sporting, social, commercial and tourist circle. We identified with the Mudgegonga and Barwidgee Creek communities when John and Sue Wilson died and their home was razed in the early hours of Sunday 8 February. Mr Wilson had been fighting the fire with a hose stretched from a tank and water pump to the back fence; his wife died in the brick house, which had collapsed. The fire had begun four kilometres south of Beechworth late Saturday afternoon when falling tree branches appeared to have hit power lines and sparked the blaze.

The fire raced across more than 22,500 hectares of bushland and forests in 36 hours and threatened communities including Dederang, Glen Creek, Coral Bank, Stanley and Yackandandah. The region experienced severe fire conditions with strong winds and temperatures that peaked at 44.8 degrees in Albury after 4.00 p.m. on Saturday. Fuelled by the strong winds and the searing heat the fire jumped the Kiewa Valley Highway and the Kiewa River and spread quickly through the night, spotting up to 10 kilometres ahead of the main fire front. Firefighters worked all night to help save hundreds of houses in the fire's path. In the words of a Beechworth incident controller, Leith McKenzie:

It has been a hell of a day and night for us all. We gave it our best shot. Together, with the community, we have done our very best to limit the spread and impact of this fire.

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service continues to play a major role in assisting the Victorian fire crews. I sought a briefing from Superintendent George Alexander, manager of the southern border team, and I place on record the professional firefighter's account of conditions and reaction in our region from Black Saturday onwards:

Saturday 7 February 2009 will go down as one of the blackest days in the history of the State of Victoria and Australia. On that day 384,569 hectares of land was burnt with an untold number of native animals and livestock lost along with 1834 private dwellings, 103 State/Community Infrastructure Assets and 385 Agricultural Assets resulting in an estimated 7,000 people having to be relocated.

Unfortunately 210 people lost their lives along with one fire fighter in this natural disaster.

The weather conditions in the two weeks preceding 7 February 2009 in the Albury area saw temperatures exceeding 35C everyday and a record eight days exceeding 40C. During that period nine outbreaks of fire were recorded in the Southern Border Team area. None of these fires caused any concern with the exception of the Mt Raven fire north of Woomargama.

On about Tuesday 3 February 2009 the Bureau of Meteorology was forecasting severe fire weather conditions for Saturday 7 February 2009, with high temperatures, low humidity and high winds.

On Friday 6 February 2009 the Southern Border Team Duty Officer arranged pre-emptive Strike Teams in the Albury and Corowa areas for a rapid response to any fire outbreaks.

The forecast for Saturday 7 February 2009 in Albury was—Temperature—44C, Relative Humidity—10%, Winds—Northerly at 35km/hr gusting to 55km/hr with a Fire Danger Rating 93. Total Fires Bans had been declared for the southern part of New South Wales and for the whole of Victoria.

The Albury Fire Management Centre was opened at 1300hrs on Saturday 7 February 2009 with 30-minute weather conditions being emailed to the Region South Major Incident Coordination (MIC) desk at State Operations along with any fire activity.

At 16.50hrs the Mt Raven fire flared up within containment lines with responses from Woomargama, Central and Mullengandra Brigades. This outbreak was quickly extinguished with tankers patrolling the fire until sunset.

At about 17.40hrs a phone call was received from the Country Fire Authority (CFA) Northeast area Duty Officer Peter O'Keefe requesting ten Strike Teams to respond to a fire in the Kilmore area in Victoria. This level of response was outside the capacity of the Southern Border Team and the Mutual Aid Agreement (MAA) between Rural Fire Service (RFS) Region South and the CFA, which stated—Strike Team can respond to within one hours travel time of the Border. This request was passed onto the MIC for action at a State level at 1745hrs.

I salute the volunteers and RFS staff who have responded so magnificently in this time of crisis. Many people are questioning whether houses in fire-prone areas or bushland settings should have bunkers or some form of fireproofing. An article in the Border Mail of Tuesday 3 March featured a former Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment firefighter who has turned a steel shipping container into a fire hide-out by digging it into the side of a rise, sealing vents and clearing ground around the entrance. Castlecrag architect Dugald Mackenzie has designed a bushfire-proof house after speaking to survivors of the Jannali fire, which razed homes fifteen years ago. His Bushfire Basher house has a one-hour fire rating—meaning it would take one hour for a fire to burn through special panelling—with a safe room inside the house.

Building is a heavily Government-regulated activity but there are no Australian Standards for safe or fireproof rooms for people, only for goods. In the wake of these most recent devastating fires a standard should be urgently examined before too many people go off and build various forms only for it to be discovered, sometime in the future, that most or all of them are deficient. While an initial homeowner may understand what the architect meant by a safe room and how it should be maintained, it is a sure thing the next owner will not. It is almost certain some people will be accidentally trapped in these safe rooms and die unless extra safety measures are included.

The issue is urgent because people are already building so-called fireproof houses and fireproof or safe rooms. A one-hour fire rated house also needs better definition before people rely on it because every house is different and houses are too big to be tested whole in a laboratory. Only elements of buildings are tested in laboratories. Expert engineering investigation is clearly called for so that an Australian Standard can be developed. While investigations and inquiries begin, the task of battling fires, caring for survivors and rebuilding shattered communities goes on. Our thoughts are with those who have suffered and with those who are working to ease the pain. I commend this condolence motion to the House.

Mr MATT BROWN (Kiama) [12.08 p.m.]: I have two strong emotions today with regard to this condolence motion. The first is one of sadness, grief, and shock. Countering that is pride, humility and gratitude. Those emotions are reflected right across the nation and across communities I represent in Kiama. We have all been touched by the tragic loss of families and friends and by the horrific stories we have heard. We have also been touched by the generosity of the Australian spirit. The devastation we have heard and seen images of is nothing short of mind-boggling. It is nearly unbelievable. When I first saw those reports coming through and heard of the death toll of around 30, I was shocked and rocked, as everyone else was, but that death toll continued to rise and rise to such staggering and sickening proportions.

More than 200 people are dead and 2,000 farms and businesses have been destroyed. Those are enormous numbers. Every one of the people who have been injured will have a terrifying tale to tell and it is not until one hears some of the heartbreaking stories of death and destruction that one understands the depth of what Australians are feeling. This could not have been better portrayed than when the Victorian Premier, John Brumby, was stuck for words because he was too overcome with emotion.

There are also the stories of those who survived the tragedy gathering together in community halls with nothing more than the clothes they were wearing when they fled their homes. In this modern era of communication we are used to sending text messages, speaking on mobile phones and sending and receiving emails, but suddenly these survivors were left without any form of communication because their mobile batteries died and they had no way of recharging them. Therefore, they had no know way of knowing whether family members and friends had survived and the anguish they must have experienced would have been horrific.

Many people on the South Coast and in the electorate of Kiama have either lost family and friends or they have been injured. My deepest sympathy, thoughts and prayers are with them. I placed a condolence book outside my electorate office and had one placed in North Nowra and Bomaderry. I thank those businesses for overseeing those books. Many people wanted to do something to express concern for their brothers and sisters in Victoria and the condolence book was one way in which they can show how they felt.

A friend of mine who is a member of the Victorian Parliament, Danielle Green, the member for Yan Yean, described 7 February 2009, Black Saturday, as the day Armageddon came to her community. She is also a member of the Diamond Creek Country Fire Authority. She referred to the tragic events of that day and how volunteer after volunteer came to help. In that fire she lost friends, branch members and community members whom she had represented and lived with for years. In her condolence motion she said that she has never been sadder or prouder in representing her community. Everyone has wanted to do something, send messages of support or send money. Even the owner of my corner store in Manning Street put out a jar where people could place their change after purchasing milk. Those acts of generosity are taking place right across the country and hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised. Of course, those fundraising efforts are ongoing.

Volunteers in New South Wales have travelled down to help our Victorian brothers and sisters, including one of our colleagues from this Chamber, the member for Heathcote. I thank all those who have given their love and support in whatever way. They are all heroes. It is that generosity of spirit that has helped to make our community strong and what has made this country so great. In closing, to those suffering loss, injury and an uncertain future, our thoughts and prayers are with you, as is our ongoing support.

Ms GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN (Willoughby) [12.14 p.m.]: Words are totally inadequate at this time as we try to fathom the total extent of the tragedy that we are still in the midst of. What we see and hear through the media is but a small window of the extent of the trauma, loss and dislocation suffered directly by thousands of our fellow Australians. I join with my colleagues on all sides of this Chamber to express our deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones, but also those who are coping with the shock and trauma of what occurred.

Since Black Saturday 210 people have lost their lives and 37 people are still missing; more than 500 people have been injured and 100 people have been admitted to hospital with burns. I understand that 20 people are still in a critical condition, with nine in intensive care. An estimated 7,500 people have been left homeless. In total, 623 separate fires have so far burned more than 400,000 hectares of land and a number of fires are still out of control. The fires have destroyed more than 2,000 homes, including more than 3,500 structures in total and they have damaged thousands more. We cannot begin to count the loss of our native animals and other things, such as fodder, grain, crops, pasture, stock and fencing.

Many towns north-east of Melbourne have been badly damaged or almost completely destroyed, including Kinglake, Marysville, Narbethong, Strathewen and Flowerdale. Many houses in the towns of Steels Creek, Humevale, Wandong, Callignee and Koornalla were also burnt, with several fatalities recorded at each location. This is a human tragedy of epic proportions. Lives have been cut short and the lives of relatives and friends have been changed forever by what has occurred, as have the lives of emergency workers and volunteers, who will forever be traumatised by what they have seen, heard and what they will continue to experience in ongoing weeks.

A local constituent, who came to talk to me about a local matter, brought this home to me. She apologised to me at the beginning of the meeting for being so emotional. She told me she had just learnt that two of her best friends had died in the town of Yea. She had only recently gone to visit them and at the time they were babysitting their grandchildren, who were able to run to safety, but unfortunately they were not able to and they were found metres from what they assumed was a safe bunker near their property. She was still in shock at having lost her best friends and was not yet able to come to terms with that. That one example demonstrates what tens of thousands of people are going through across Victoria and all parts of Australia.

Through this tragedy, the extent of which is beyond our comprehension, we can take comfort in the overwhelming support that communities, large and small, across our State and Australia have shown, financial and non-financial. Let us consider first our rescue workers: more than 4,000 firefighters from the Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment were ably assisted by firefighters from New South Wales, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia, as well as firefighting personnel from New Zealand. As we have learned from colleagues in this Chamber, New South Wales has made an enormous contribution, with around 300 firefighters, 71 fire engines, a number of police officers trained in disaster victim identification, ambulance paramedics, a burns specialist and burns nurses, Rural Fire Service critical incident support personnel and specialist urban search and rescue personnel.

These fighters and volunteers have made an outstanding contribution and deserve our support on their return to help them deal with what they have experienced. It is also heart-warming to know that more than $211 million has been donated to the cause so far, from schoolchildren to people in charitable organisations and service organisations. I commend, thank and congratulate local Rotary clubs in the Willoughby electorate, Lions clubs, the Australian Red Cross, the Salvation Army and other citizenship groups who, like everyone else in our State and country, have dug deep to help wherever possible.

I acknowledge the businesses, farmers and corporate Australia who have made their contributions to the cause, as well as employers who have allowed volunteers to undertake their responsibilities. I also acknowledge those providing counselling services, whether grief counsellors or other counsellors. Their work has only just begun and we need to accept that there is a long road ahead, which may take decades. We owe to all those who have lost their lives, to all those whose lives have been changed forever, and to successive generations of Australians, to learn what we can from this human tragedy. But for today our thoughts and prayers are for those who try to make sense of their loss and work out how to rebuild their lives.

Mr GRANT McBRIDE (The Entrance) [12.20 p.m.]: On behalf of my electorate of The Entrance, on the Central Coast, and myself I offer condolences to all those who have lost loved ones, suffered injury and lost property in the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, and I extend our best wishes for the future to those who have survived. Loss of life on this scale is unprecedented in peacetime and therefore is impossible to relate to on a personal basis. Personally I am left numbed trying to comprehend the difficulties and relentless challenges ahead for those affected: rebuilding lives literally from the ground up, coping with the physical and psychological damage, and the ongoing pain that remains in the heart forever.

Australia is characterised by flood and bushfire. It is the nature of our continent, and it will always remain the same. However, as others said in this condolence motion, we must learn from this experience and develop strategies, policies, building codes and other relevant action relating to minimising loss of life and property in the future. The devastation of Darwin by Cyclone Tracy in the early 1970s is another example of a natural disaster beyond previous experience. Following the rebuilding of the city of Darwin a comprehensive review resulted in new processes and standards that revolutionised building and construction codes in cyclone-prone areas across Australia. The Victorian Government has already put this process in place and, as with Darwin, a comprehensive reassessment will result in new provisions to manage the issue of bushfire across Australia.

The Central Coast, where I live, is a bushfire-prone area, and on occasions homes and lives are threatened. Both councils in the area have comprehensive management plans, fire control officers, and headquarters that work with a committed cohort of volunteer rural fire brigades across the coast. We are blessed to have these dedicated volunteers ready to risk their lives on behalf of our communities. I commend the Central Coast volunteers who have travelled to Victoria to assist in the ongoing battle relating to the fires still burning and in the rebuilding of the lives and communities of those affected. I also congratulate all the businesses, schools, clubs, organisations, families and individuals who have made a contribution, monetary or otherwise, to the Victorian bushfire relief fund.

Mr JONATHAN O'DEA (Davidson) [12.22 p.m.]: The date 8 January 1994 is ingrained in my mind as an especially important date. The first reason is that it was the worst day of the Sydney bushfires, when the community was faced with loss from the harsh reality of the powerful element of fire. The second reason is that it was the day I was married. I can still clearly picture ash falling on my beautiful bride's dress as we left the church and the surreal sunset that formed the backdrop to our wedding reception.

Victoria came to New South Wales' assistance in our time of need in January 1994. While interstate rivalry has its place on a sporting field, it is great to see how Australians pull together in times of adversity, as we have for our southern neighbours some 15 years after the 1994 fires. The Victorian bushfire tragedy is at a scale so unprecedented that the Prime Minister declared 7 February as a national Day of Mourning, in memory of the precious lives lost. The support in our Federal Parliament was obviously bipartisan, as it is here in New South Wales. I particularly note the caring words of the Federal Opposition Leader, Malcolm Turnbull:

Numerous brave citizens have stepped up and performed extraordinary feats during the devastating fires, risking life and limb to come to the aid of their families, friends and neighbours. These include hundreds who have travelled from New South Wales. Many people, including from my own local community, have made generous donations. It is in times of adversity, such as war and natural disaster, that admirable Australian characteristics are perhaps best recognised by the international community. As Princess Anne, representing Queen Elizabeth, observed at a recent Victorian memorial service:

I understand that a total fire ban has been declared for the whole State of Victoria. The Rural Fire Service authorities have provided ample warning to residents via text messages, community meetings, and of course their website. It is important to educate the community on fire prevention and risk mitigation, a message I have tried to spread within my own local community. I also note that in the past day or two there has been some welcome rain in various parts of Victoria—a great relief for all.

In a previous speech to this House I spoke about the Rural Fire Service and its preparations for a day of need in a hot summer. Today I speak at the end of a hot summer, when the need has eventuated and the service has again performed very well, as have officers from the police, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and other emergency services agencies. I am very conscious and concerned about the enjoyment and preservation of our natural heritage of bush within the borders of my Davidson electorate. I have previously spoken about the Blue Gum High Forest in St Ives, Garigal National Park, as well as Narrabeen Lagoon and its remaining bush catchment. Today we are learning to better coexist with our environment while recognising the importance of controlling fuel loads that future fires might feed on.

City fires in buildings are mostly in a defined area and are generally predictable. The method of attack is basically to squash the fire and put it out. On the other hand, bushfires have a psychology of their own, and do not behave like a city fire in a confined space. They can be boisterous and noisy, alternating with periods of calm. They can change intensity and speed depending on fuel load, weather, and whether they are going up or down hill. They can easily jump rivers and roads, and embers can travel on the wind for kilometres, as has happened with the Victorian fires. Modern bush firefighting has a lot to do with understanding the fire's psychology and treating it with tactics denying it fuel and energy. Fire control centres therefore play a crucial role in such battles, as do support areas.

In January 2009 a fire started in Garigal National Park at East Killara, in my electorate of Davidson. Many attended, including the Ku-ring-gai Rural Fire Service Brigade and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. I visited the site and was impressed with the organisation of the personnel on the ground. I saw that the fire service had on site a media liaison officer who was giving periodic briefings on the situation to the media present. It is important that the media be able to inform the public about an emergency. However, at the fire in Killara I noticed that most of the media were dressed in the same yellow-coloured waterproof macs and trousers as the firefighters. While I am all for the media having some access to fire areas, I recommend they consider wearing a designated colour and style of uniform to better distinguish them from firefighters. In the heat of battle when fighting a fire, trained firefighters should not need to ask a person who is similarly dressed if they are a fellow firefighter or not.

The Ku-ring-gai brigade of the Rural Fire Service has its depot in Wahroonga and is led by Captain Chris Hunter, and its 45 members include David Cordery, who has been in the brigade since it was formed around 52 years ago. Likewise, at last week's Warringah-Pittwater District Awards I was pleased to recognise 50 years of service by Peter Gatien of Belrose Brigade to the Rural Fire Service. On that occasion the New South Wales Fire Service Commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, spoke of the tragic Victorian situation and referred to two New South Wales firefighters who were injured when trees fell on them.

In January the Ku-ring-gai brigade was at the forefront in fighting the fire at East Killara, which burnt a total of 13 hectares over three days. The rugged terrain of the Middle Harbour Valley required the assistance of two air crane water bombers to control the blaze, which threatened houses in Albany Crescent. The brigade, as with other units in New South Wales and Victoria, has ongoing tasks as part of an integrated approach to fire management, including hazard reduction burning, personnel training, maintaining equipment and public education. The headquarters for the Hornsby-Ku-ring-gai district is at Hornsby Heights, and with the member for Hornsby I recently attended a tour of the facility conducted by Superintendent Angelo Baldo. I also look forward to attending the opening of the new headquarters for the Warringah-Pittwater district at Terrey Hills later this month. All people concerned are doing a wonderful job for our community.

In conclusion, I extend my own and my local community's condolences to all those suffering as a result of the Victorian bushfires, including the friends and family members of the 210 people who lost their lives. New South Wales has not had an extreme fire season for approximately seven years. Victoria reminds us that fuel loads are again building up in the New South Wales bush. At the same time, the largely volunteer staff of the Rural Fire service continues its work of being prepared for the next challenge.

Mr GERARD MARTIN (Bathurst) [12.31 p.m.]: On behalf of the people in the electorate of Bathurst I extend my condolences to all those suffering as a result of the Victorian bushfires, particularly the family, friends and communities left behind by the 210 people who lost their lives. As has been mentioned in the past 24 hours in this Chamber, in terms of loss of life we are addressing what has been the largest single natural disaster in Australia's history. The figures are quite bewildering—210 people dead, and it will probably be closer to 250 when the process of identifying those missing is completed; a myriad of lost property in the built and natural environment; and loss of natural fauna. It will take years for the land to regenerate.

It is difficult to do battle with Mother Nature but in New South Wales—and probably in most jurisdictions in Australia—we have good emergency management plans. Our Rural Fire Service, its systems and strategies, are recognised worldwide. In fact, we export this intellectual property overseas and we particularly help South-East Asian countries to develop professional firefighting capabilities. The way things have come together in the wake of the fires on 7 and 8 February has been testament to the professionalism of those managing the Rural Fire Service and the dedication of its support volunteers. For those reasons we are blessed, but at the end of the day the toll has still been horrific. No doubt changes will be made following the deliberations of the Royal commission. We will go through a period of change to our legislation to ensure it does not happen again but, given the history of the climate and geography of our country, it is very difficult for anyone to say that. It is a challenge for the Government and the community to be as best prepared as we can.

My electorate borders the electorate of the Blue Mountains and its topography is very similar to those areas that have been burnt in Victoria. The electorate starts at the western end of the Blue Mountains, continues into the Capertee Valley and south to Abercrombie behind the Jenolan Caves. Major fires have burned in all those areas in recent years but, fortunately, there has been very little loss of life. On 2 December 1997 in Lithgow there was a fire with similar climatic features to those experienced in Victoria. At that time I was the mayor of Lithgow. The temperature was in the high 30s that day, with very gusty strong north-westerly winds and the humidity in single digits. Emanating from the ridge behind my house in Hepburn Street was a massive fire that spread down through the Blue Mountains. Unfortunately, we lost two of our firefighters on that ridge, probably 200 metres from my backdoor: Teddy Hughes, a council foreman, and Col Eather, the captain of the Marrangaroo Brigade. Both those men died on the mountain above my place. It was a tragedy for the community because they were both well-known residents of a country town—blokes that we grew up with and worked with.

The real tragedy of these events is the loss of human life. Once we had that fire under control I held a function at the Civic ballroom in Lithgow on behalf of the people in the area to farewell the 300 Victorian firefighters. Those men and women had done a sterling job, they gave up their time to come and live in our community for a week or so, they bunked down in our huge ballroom as best they could, they were well looked after and fed, and they worked extremely hard. They took great pleasure in helping. In recent weeks a number of Fire Brigade personnel from around Bathurst, Lithgow and Wallerawang, have gone to Victoria to assist, so in some ways we are repaying that friendship.

Friendships developed from that group of Victorian firefighters and many regularly return to Lithgow to meet with people they met during the fires. One of the great things to come out of these tragedies is the building of relationships and friendships with people who are prepared to come to the aid of their fellows, whether it is across State or council borderlines. It is a comfort to know that in times of adversity we can rely on our friends. As a Government member I am very proud of the effort we have made in going to the aid of the Victorians. As the Premier has said, while there is a need and the Victorians call we will be there to assist them. I commend the condolence motion to the House.

Mrs JUDY HOPWOOD (Hornsby) [12.38 p.m.]: I support the condolence motion for the Victorian bushfire victims, which states:

(1) That this House–

(a) places on record and expresses its deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the bushfires which recently devastated the State of Victoria;

(b) offers its sympathy to those who have been affected by the fires whether through injury or the loss of their property and personal effects; and

(c) acknowledges the ongoing contribution of the fire fighters and those engaged in the recovery effort, including those who have traveled from New South Wales to assist in these efforts.

(2) That this resolution be communicated by the Speaker of the House to the Speaker of the Parliament of Victoria.

On behalf of the residents of the electorate of Hornsby I contribute to the condolence motion and acknowledge the serious fires that have ravaged Victoria and continue to challenge firefighters and the many service providers in the area. I represent an electorate that is approximately 50 per cent bushland and one that has confronted serious fires before and during the time I have represented it. I know we will face similar challenges, given the nature of our land. Friends who live in Canberra suffered the trauma of their houses being razed in the Canberra fires, but they did not lose family members. Arson has been a factor in the fires in New South Wales and other States. Arson has occurred in my street: 17 fires were started along the ridge of my street in Mt Colah, one directly behind my house. A person was convicted of starting at least three fires. I have experienced the impact of fire. Thank goodness, I have not lost family or friends. But to some extent I understand the trauma faced by the people in Victoria.

I was born in Melbourne, Victoria. I remember having to tolerate the extreme heat in February whilst sitting in my classroom that had no airconditioning. I also remember some extremely serious fires that occurred in Victoria during my childhood that resulted in loss of life and property. My thoughts and condolences go to those who have been affected by Black Saturday and the subsequent days of horror that overtook much of rural Victoria to the east and west of Melbourne. With the immense loss of life and alteration to lives, the people in Victoria who have been impacted by these fires will never be the same. They may rebuild, but their traumatic experience will leave a mark upon their lives. Many people are mourning the loss of friends and family members. Others, who know people who have suffered the loss of friends and family, are remembering the victims but also are trying to move forward and put in place measures that will prevent a disaster similar to the events on 7 February and subsequent days.

I have relatives and friends who live in the general fire area in Victoria. On Sunday morning after Black Saturday I made many calls to Victoria. My friends Ken and Roseanne Morton were evacuated from the Bunyip area. I was very pleased to hear that a day or so after the fire danger had passed they were able to return to their property. I have family in the Millgrove-Warburton area—the Yarra Valley area generally. Although they did not lose property, since that February weekend they have been living in the spectre of the fire and the subsequent days of bad weather that could create a situation similar to Black Saturday. In my electorate there have been a number of significant and dangerous fires. In 1994, before I was elected, an extremely serious fire burnt out a large area of the Hornsby electorate. It encroached upon my house, but luckily did not go into the surrounding valley. In 2002 the Chilvers fire burnt out 50 per cent of the electorate of Hornsby and much of Hawkesbury. At the time, I had been the local member for about 10 months and I was very much involved.

I did not work alongside the firefighters because I am not trained to do so, but I was involved in briefings and saw firsthand the impact of the fire on the community. I saw the expertise of the firefighters in carrying out their jobs and other services assisting people who were stranded, had lost property or needed assistance with overnight accommodation and meals. I express my extreme gratitude to everyone who is involved during these fires, whatever service they provide. I know that the stranded people in my electorate were accommodated at Berowra Community Centre and Hornsby RSL, to name just two services that assisted. In early 2009 a serious fire occurred between the industrial area in Mt Ku-ring-gai and Berowra. Due to the expertise of local firefighters, the fire was quickly brought under control and there was no loss of life or property. However, animals were disrupted and many may have lost their lives.

Last week I visited Melbourne. As many members know, I have been investigating homelessness. Sadly, my uncle, Maurice Peeler, who lived in Millgrove, died suddenly last Monday morning. His funeral was to be held on Friday. Unfortunately, due to warnings of extreme temperature and high winds, his funeral was unable to be held until the following Monday. On Friday I went with my cousin to the Yarra Valley area. I did not visit the fire areas because they have been cordoned off to visitors. In the Yarra Valley I saw closed businesses and visited a home in dense bushland. It was a smoky environment. A pall of smoke hung over the area and I felt the air of expectation and sensed people's fear of another bad day of fires. The Yarra Valley area is not out of danger and they expect further fire issues. I saw a heart-warming vision of a New South Wales Ambulance Service vehicle on duty. They were ready to provide assistance. I know that many officers of the New South Wales Fire Brigades, the Rural Fire Service, the Police Force, the Ambulance Service and the State Emergency Service, and many volunteers from New South Wales and other States are assisting the people in Victoria. The fire areas are devastated and the people need as much help as we can give them.

When I was flying back to Sydney on Saturday, it was a clear day and I looked down on many thousands of hectares of brown trees. In the trajectory of the plane flight, I flew over Marysville and other areas that had been devastated by the fires on Black Saturday and subsequent days. Many people have been made homeless, and so many individuals and corporations have raised many millions of dollars. I will mention some of those from my local electorate. My electorate leapt into action to assist the people in Victoria. The schools that assisted are too numerous to name, but I will mention a couple. I had the honour of opening the school parliament at Asquith Public School. It was just after Black Saturday and one of the motions the little children debated was whether to send all the money they raised through cake stalls and other activities to one school or a number of schools in Victoria. As late as today I have received information from the Bush Telegraph Weekly that Hornsby North Public School has formed a fellow school relationship with Victoria's fire-ravaged Strathewen Primary School.

The front of the Bush Telegraph has a wonderful picture of children with a big bucket full of money that they will send to Victoria. I believe that Lynne Slevin came up with the idea of that school adopting a school in Victoria. I know that is just one example of many. I congratulate the service clubs in the area that have been working very hard every weekend with their buckets—Lions, Rotary and Apex. Last Sunday I opened a jazz concert in Hornsby mall featuring the New Orleanians jazz band. The concert was organised by Hornsby Lions and buckets went around to collect money during the concert. It is fantastic to see all this human effort.

On Sunday I was at the Ross Turner Cricket Cup game. All the profits from the canteen and the proceeds from the sale of a book were sent to Victoria to help the victims of the bushfires. Sporting clubs, service clubs, schools and the general community are all pitching in to help people who are our neighbours. Given our bush interface, there by the grace of God goes everybody. I gave blood last week in Chatswood, and I encourage everybody who can to do the same. People suffering severe burns generally need precious blood products. They will need them not only now but also into the future.

It is very hard to quantify how many animals have been lost in the bushfires. I know many people in my electorate are very concerned about the animals affected by the fires. The veterinary and welfare response to the animals has been amazing. Burn injuries to animals require very similar solutions and dressings to those used for humans, which come at a cost. We have all been heartened to see Sam the koala, a symbol in so many ways not only of the loss of animal life but also of the need for water, veterinary products and assistance from animal welfare groups. I conclude by quoting one verse from the poem My Country by Dorothea Mackellar, which is so appropriate:

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!

I believe that poem signifies the type of country in which we live and the challenges we face. We have floods to the north, and perhaps we have not focussed enough on those. However, I know that people in the Hornsby electorate have been working to raise funds for those in the northern State who have, in such a contrasting way to those in Victoria, lost so much. The poem typifies, for example, flood, fire and famine, and in just one line describes the country in which we live.

Mr TONY STEWART (Bankstown) [12.53 p.m.]: The weekend of 7 and 8 February—Black Saturday in particular—will be forever etched into the memory of all Australians. I and the people in my electorate of Bankstown offer our condolences and our hearts and prayers go out to the people affected directly by these terrible, tragic fires in Marysville, Kinglake, Churchill, Flowerdale, St Andrews, Wandong, Humevale, Bendigo, Long Gully, Callignee, Hazelwood, Jeeralang, Arthur's Creek and the other towns and communities devastated by these terrible fires.

The people in my electorate of Bankstown, as in many other electorates that have been spoken about so eloquently on both sides of the House, have opened their hearts and dug deep into their pockets to support the needs of those in Victoria affected by this tragedy. I will mention some of those areas from which that support came very quickly and strongly. Bankstown Sports Club, one of the true hubs of the Bankstown community, immediately provided $10,000 to the Australian Red Cross. In addition to the cash donation, the club, which has a 109-room Travelodge hotel, which is currently being refurbished, has begun to transport to Victoria all the furniture from the refurbished building—single beds, double beds, linen, chairs, tables, framed pictures and other items, all in fantastic condition—to be stored and provided on a needs basis when required by the victims of the fires.

Revesby Workers Club, another great club in our community, donated $10,000 to the Australian Red Cross. Riverside Gourmet Pizza makes great pizzas and lots of dollars were donated when it raised money for the fire victims. Clubs NSW donated $50,000; Canterbury City Council donated $10,000; and the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney donated $50,000, which included fundraising contributions from many churches in my local area. The Lebanese Muslim Association donated $5,000; Bankstown Rotary, Yagoona Lions and other community clubs in the area got together and raised very significant amounts. I commend also Bankstown City Council for raising $27,000.

It touched me that many, many of my local schools—in fact, I would say all of my local schools, and there are around 30 in my electorate—provided funds to benefit the victims of the fires and their families. Bankstown Girls High School held a special assembly to raise money; Yagoona Public School collected a huge donation for the Red Cross; Bankstown North Public School collected donations; Holy Saviour raised $772 and is still raising money; and La Salle College raised $2,400. St Euphemia College raised a whopping $16,000 for the victims. Malek Fahd Islamic School is still raising funds but it has already raised significant funds. I commend the school for that. St Felix Primary School has held a couple of functions to raise funds and St Marys Primary School, which I visited in mid February, held a special gold-coin day.

A microcosm of children all over Bankstown is raising funds for the fire victims. I went around to the classes where gold coins were being collected and I saw one little boy in year 2 contribute some money that had been given to him, but then he dug deep into his bag in an effort to donate his lunch money. That little gesture by a six-year-old boy reflects how deeply people's feelings go for the victims of the bushfires: he recognised the significance of the tragedy and wanted to give everything he had to support them. In my role with Youth Off the Streets I have been dealing with Father Chris Riley, who responded immediately to the crisis and sent a team of volunteers to Victoria to support the initiatives of the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and others who were working at the front line. It is another example of how Father Chris Riley is always there to support humanity and provide assistance for those in need.

As a child I spent my early youth in Victoria, not far from the areas devastated in the Gippsland area. I can recall as a seven-year-old experiencing a similar fire situation. No words can describe what you go through in such a tragedy. Our house was saved, but I recall all the able-bodied men in town in Yallourn going to fight the fire. I will never forget the images of the kangaroos and other animals that came into our front yard for a safe harbour, not frightened at all but sitting quietly. Some had burning fur so we turned the hoses on them to try to put the fire out. These images that I recall are devastating. I acknowledge the comments made by the member for Hornsby about Sam the koala and the many other animals that have been victims of the fire. As a young child I will never forget those images, and now I will never forget, nor will the people in my electorate, what these people went through in Victoria. Certainly, whatever we can do to reach out to meet their needs should be done and will be done. I commend the motion to the House.

Mr MIKE BAIRD (Manly) [1.00 p.m.]: I offer my condolences to those who have lost loved ones in the horrific bushfires in Victoria. Our thoughts are with those who have lost their homes, those who have been injured and who have a battle ahead of them to recover, and the people who must regroup and re-establish their communities. Over the past few days and weeks as we have dealt with the tragedy of these bushfires we have been reminded that Australia is not a group of isolated States—it is a nation and, in many respects, a large family. We grieve for and empathise with the pain and loss being experienced in Victoria.

I have been particularly touched by the response of my community of Manly. I will not do justice to that response because my constituents have demonstrated deep, significant and heartfelt compassion. I congratulate them and reaffirm the important message being sent to the people of Victoria that they are not alone. The Manly Life Saving Club has a very real connection with this tragedy because members Lynne and Howard Schauer lost Lynne's brother Garry, his wife, Jacinta, and their six-year-old daughter, Erryn. Their 12-year-old daughter, Maddison, suffered burns to 50 per cent of her body and will be in hospital for at least three months. It is hard to comprehend the tragedy that has befallen that young girl. Not only is she struggling to recover in hospital but she has also lost her entire family in one swoop. It would be inhuman not to feel the pain and despair that she must feel.

I commend Manly Life Saving Club for gathering around these members, who have been very active not only in the club but also in the wider local community. The club will hold a fundraiser this Friday at 7.00 p.m. to help pay for the treatment of Maddison's burns and to help her extended family to rehabilitate and to fathom this unbelievable loss. Similar responses have occurred across Manly. Most people have not been affected as the Schauers have been. I pass on to them my heartfelt sorrow and 100 per cent support in this tragedy. Those who have not been as directly impacted have done a great deal to help and have contributed enormously. They include the Salvation Army local chaplain, a volunteer firefighter who was so moved that he loaded a trailer with toys and drove from one town to the next in the affected area handing them out. He reported that the response was overwhelming. People appreciated that someone cared enough to stand beside them.

North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club also raised money for the bushfire appeal at a Valentine's Day disco; Mackellar Girls Campus responded quickly by holding a mufti day and raised more than $5,000, and challenged other schools to do the same; Harbord Diggers and the Mounties group raised $50,000 and will match every donation made at the club; Toni and Guy's hairdressing salon offered $25-haircuts and donated the proceeds; Manly West Primary School had a gold coin donation campaign and raised $2,325 from just 688 students; and staff at the Bluewater Cafe raised more than $2,000 by donating the tips they received last weekend and patrons who were aware of the gesture added to their efforts. The northern beaches Lions clubs have done a particularly good job in fundraising. Club members liaised with Sydney Ferries to travel on ferries and have raised $17,780 from commuters and ferry staff. I also pay tribute to the Sydney Ferries staff who have contributed. The proceeds will be distributed directly to the Lions clubs at Marysville and Kinglake and at Whittlesea, Churchill and Traralgon in Gippsland.

An event held in my electorate typifies this State's response to the bushfire tragedy. Last Saturday night representatives of all churches in the Manly area came together to pray for the affected families and victims of this great tragedy and determined as a community to make a difference and to support the victims. It was a moving event and I pay tribute to everyone in Manly who put a shoulder to the wheel. I particularly extend my condolences to the Schauers. We cannot understand the depth of their tragedy, but we stand alongside them willing to help in any way we can. We pass on our best wishes and the support of this Parliament.

Mr ALLAN SHEARAN (Londonderry) [1.08 p.m.]: Along with my colleagues I express my condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the recent fires in Victoria. The constituents of Londonderry are very aware of the dangers that confront bushfire-prone areas. Londonderry abuts the Blue Mountains National Park, bushland and rural and semi-rural areas. We face constant danger and hopefully we are prepared for it.

On Black Saturday I was at a family function with my neighbours enjoying a quiet drink and some food and swimming. We gradually became aware of the unfolding horror in Victoria. Over the proceeding days we witnessed the extensive media coverage of the devastation and loss of life, property, flora and fauna. The images of the horror make us feel that we can do nothing other than volunteer or donate money and goods to help. At times like this we tend to think about the impact that such an event would have on our own family. Following Black Saturday I visited my son, who lives in the electorate of Hornsby. As the local member said, that area is also prone to bushfires.

My son's property backs onto a vast bushland area. There was a whiff of smoke at the time and I was somewhat alarmed. He seemed to be rather relaxed. I asked him whether he was concerned and whether he knew what was going on. He mentioned it was some fire near Lane Cove and that smoke had drifted up towards his residence. That alone would be enough to have me worried and ready to go. I asked him what procedures he had in place to prepare for such an eventuality. He said he was not going to be worrying about the house or any of the memorabilia or things we might think are of value in the house; all he was going to worry about was his young family and his wife. He has too little boys, three years and one year old. His plans were simply to grab them, put them in the car and get out of the area as quickly as they could. The devastation that occurred in Victoria will leave a long memory of what can happen and will play an important part for those preparing for outbreaks in their areas.

What also brought it close to home was that my sister-in-law and her husband reside in Yackandandah in the northern part of Victoria. We did not think the fires would be of any concern to them but we learned that they were on alert. It would have been ironic if the fires reached the township of Yackandandah as it was only 18 months or so ago when her property was burnt to the ground—they had a shop and a residence—and they had only just rebuilt and moved back in. They had the same approach. They were not concerned any more about protecting their assets; if the fire became threatening they would jump in the car and get out.

This brings to light what happens in our local areas. The Rural Fire Service brigades, particularly in Londonderry and the surrounding area, do a fantastic job. I have attended many functions where they are training or receiving awards. What struck me each time I attended the functions was the camaraderie they have, the spirit of community and the element of volunteering that is particularly a part of the Australian culture. It is amazing how our Rural Fire Service is regarded overseas. Late last year I was speaking with the Commissioner for the Rural Fire Service, Shane Fitzsimmons. He commented that a delegation from Greece could not quite comprehend how effectively and efficiently our Rural Fire Service operated. It could not understand how it could liaise with other emergency services and how we could have volunteers with such equipment and training. That is particularly poignant when one considers the millions of dollars the Government puts into the Rural Fire Service for equipment and training required now and in the future. Although it is millions of dollars, it is funding well spent.

In January this year there was a bushfire outbreak at Londonderry, attended by Londonderry Rural Fire Service and others. The Londonderry fire had many features that occurred in the Victorian fire. The day after the Rural Fire Service volunteers had quelled the fire they said that the continually swirling winds would change the direction of the fire, not every couple of minutes but every 20 or 30 seconds. They found that very hard to combat, but combat it they did. The fantastic job they did must be acknowledged. Although many acres of bush were destroyed, no houses were destroyed and no lives were lost. Some sheds and machinery were lost but importantly no lives. That is of fantastic credit to those who fought that fire.

On the Friday after the fire the Premier, the Minister for Emergency Services and I attended the site. We were at the property of one of the grateful homeowners who appreciated the effort put in by the Rural Fire Service. We heard the fires were licking against the fence of this property owner, and the Rural Fire Service called for one of those huge helicopters—

Mr Geoff Provest: Elvis.

Mr ALLAN SHEARAN: I do not know what the name of this one was but he had film of it. It was quite spectacular. It saved his house. It dropped water in the precise spot it had to be dumped. When one thinks of the fire and the updraft one recognises that the skill of that helicopter pilot was unreal. It was amazing. That morning the assembled media was in attendance with the Premier and the Minister. It was disappointing that the first dozen or so questions related to matters other than the fire. The homeowner got to the stage where he became irate and quite vocal and said to the throng of media that enough was enough, that the real purpose of this media conference was to show appreciation to the members of the Rural Fire Service who were able to save his house. This was before the Victorian fires yet there were few media reports of the success of that effort and few media reports acknowledging the fantastic job the members did.

One of the things to come out of this devastation and disaster was the spirit of Australia. We can talk about the volunteers, the fundraising and how touched everyone has been about the terror and horror our neighbours had to face, but the spirit of Australia continues to exist. Whatever comes out of the royal commission—of course, there will be a number of words and recommendations and different theories—what will really be remembered is how Australia as a nation got together. Many members of the Rural Fire Service in my electorate volunteered to assist in Victoria. Four or five of them had been selected to go but they got word that night that they were not required. They were ready to go at the drop of a hat. The efforts of the volunteers and the effort put in to raise funds to rebuild the properties and townships that were destroyed demonstrate that the Australian spirit is still very much alive. I commend the motion to the House. On behalf of my constituents I wish our Victorian counterparts well and hope they are recovering and that their rebuilding is a success.

Mr GEOFF PROVEST (Tweed) [1.19 p.m.]: Once again, I am 100 per cent for the Tweed. I join with my colleagues who spoke yesterday and today in expressing condolences to the fine people of Victoria. We were all very touched by the human misery created by these terrible fires, the loss of property and the hardship—but also the mateship—that has been instilled in the rest of the country. The Tweed was no exception. Many appeals were started: indeed, I started one from my own office several days after the bushfire. That appeal generated enormous community support, which was great because on Australia Day there was an unfavourable incident involving antisocial behaviour within the Tweed community, which dampened people's spirits. However, the people of The Tweed bounced back once they saw the grim footage of what happened in Victoria.

A large number of items were collected including new clothing, hairbrushes and other articles. We were fortunate that one of our local transport companies, Shoobridge Transport, offered its assistance. I helped load the truck and it was rather symbolic that on the day the Tweed experienced torrential rain. This fine nation of ours is a land of great contrasts! The first semitrailer departed on the night of Saturday 14 February 2009 to be offloaded in Melbourne on the Sunday. The load included various types of donations. The Tweed has a strong sugar industry and the New South Wales Sugar Cooperative Condong Mill Manager, Greg Petersen, and Graham Martin from the sugar industry donated around 1.5 tonnes of molasses and one tonne of packed sugar in two-kilo bags.

Cudgen farmers Ken Hodgkinson and Doug Paddon donated six tonnes of sweet potatoes. Other Cudgen farmers helped to plough and package those sweet potatoes, which will be very helpful because they have a shelf life of around one month, so they can be distributed throughout Victoria. The local Tweed community banded together to provide clothing, linen, toiletries and food products, large and small. One gentleman bought out of his own pocket three DVD players. People who could not even afford to donate, including pensioners, made donations. I remember one lady who came into my office. All she could afford were two boxes of no frills tissues, but it was her way of saying that she cared about her fellow Australians. The Tweed Heads Tennis Club at Terranora donated 400 undergarments. Included in the box were 12 pairs of fishnet stockings. I was perplexed as to the use of fishnet stockings but the ladies informed me that once the rebuilding was started, the people of Victoria needed something to lift their spirits: they could have a party and the women could wear the fishnet stockings.

I acknowledge the hard work of Heather Goodall of Tweed Valley Real Estate, who actively rallied local people and businesses to donate goods. I acknowledge also the Commonwealth Bank and SunCorp at Tweed Heads South. The manager of the Commonwealth Bank stated that the response was amazing. He had collected money for the tsunami appeal but for this appeal people donated large wads of cash. They were so touched by this tragedy that they put their hands deep into their pockets. Donations are continuing and at one stage it was difficult to get into the front room of my electorate office because of the large number of items. I even called on the Tweed-Coolangatta Quota Club, a fine group of ladies, who gave up many hours to sort and package the donated goods. I am pleased to announce that Shoobridge Transport delivered a second semitrailer load to Victoria. I convey my thanks to Peter Shoobridge, who bent over backwards to support this fabulous cause.

I am still a director of Bowls Australia, the national governing board. Two days after the bushfires the Australian Open, the richest bowls tournament in the nation, the pinnacle of the bowls calendar, was to be held in Shepparton. We were concerned about imposing on the fine people of Shepparton by bringing along people from the ABC, which televises the event. Phone calls were made and Shepparton Council informed us that the event would lift the spirits of the people. I attended the event on the Sunday. Indeed, I was devastated on arriving at Tullamarine Airport to hear the plane captain indicate that the smoke that could be smelt in the cabin did not emanate from the plane but was due to the bushfires. We actually raised $500 on the way down on that flight.

Driving through the bushfire areas had a sombre effect on me. I have seen the aftermath of bushfires before but to see 60 to 70 foot trees burnt to a cinder and hectare after hectare of ash and destruction was quite shocking. All that was left of houses were brick chimneys and a pile of bent and twisted corrugated iron on the ground. My condolences once again go to those people who have lost family and friends or property. Many people lost their lives at Marysville, and Marysville Bowls Club lost several of its members, including a 15-year-old boy and one of its life members, who just days before were involved in a good game with each other. Peter Wilshire, the former chief executive officer of Victorian Bowls, who I understand has just been released from hospital today, suffered some pretty horrific burns while trying to protect his property.

I had the opportunity also to talk to many of the volunteers. I saw some of the aid distribution areas. The grim determination in the eyes of the people said it all. I was extraordinarily touched by people's mateship—the Australian way. It was very hard talking to victims who have suffered loss of friends, family and all their possessions. There is a spirit within them: one can sense that despite how grim life was, they will keep working to make their life better.

In some areas the fire had skipped around so that some houses, livestock and sheds remained safe. The residents expressed to me a great sense of guilt that they had survived, their family had been untouched, while their friends, neighbours and family down the road had lost everything. That type of guilt is difficult to deal with. That guilt reduced one family to tears one night in a clubhouse, and I was very moved by that. I also saw a classic example of the Australian spirit. On the way to Shepparton, after many hectares of black devastation, beside the main road was a house that was virtually a burnt-out shell. I do not know whether the family, the owners of the house or a passer-by had done it but someone had purchased a brand-new Australian flag and had tied it to the highest point of the burnt-out house. That flag fluttered in the breeze and the colours of the Australian flag were a symbol of rebirth to me that day.

The Tweed, like many other areas, sent six task forces to Victoria. The personnel were from our Rural Fire Service brigades in Pottsville, Bilambil, Cudgen, Tweed Coast and Burringbar. Our town brigades also sent down task forces. That is quite symbolic to me. As I have said in this place before, my young son Patrick, who is about to have his twenty-eighth birthday, recently spent five days in Victoria with the Bilambil Bushfire Brigade because he was keen to do his bit to assist. Indeed, they were all keen to assist their fellow Australians. I am pleased to report that Patrick returned home yesterday safe and sound, much to the relief of his mother and his father.

The tragedy and sympathy that this disaster has created is second to none. The issue is contentious, particularly in my area. We really need to look at our conservation laws. I am aware that in New South Wales we burn off only about 5 per cent of our national parks and about 20 per cent of our State forests. While I understand that the conservation laws are there to protect the environment and our flora and fauna, in front of these 60-foot trees for hectare after hectare there is not another living thing. There is not a bud, an ant, a wallaby, a kangaroo, a koala or a kookaburra. The re-population of those areas will take years. Sure, a number of the plants, which are part of the Australian bush, will survive and grow back. But in terms of native wildlife, there is nothing. I cannot help but think: Is this the right way to go, to have these draconian conservation laws—which are provided in principle to protect our wildlife—yet here they have been completely wiped out? We really need to revisit our conservation laws.

As has been mentioned by a number of my colleagues, our building codes also need to be addressed. Some of the houses survived the bushfires; some took precautions and some did not. We should learn from this. I have only been in Australia for around 50 years; I am 50-odd years of age. Bushfires seem to be a regular occurrence. We had the fires in Canberra. Yesterday both the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition referred to many previous bushfires. But we do not seem to have learnt very much from them, and we suffer the pain and the loss of life. I find that totally unacceptable, when we can do something about the situation. The people of the Tweed dug so deep to help their fellow Australians, it really impressed me. I was proud to once again be 100 per cent for the Tweed and to be part of the Tweed community.

At times we were struggling to find volunteers to pack bags and so on. I was down at Koala Beach, near Pottsville, on that Friday. I assisted a group of constituents, young mums, with regard to getting an extra bus service to take their children to work. They said to me, "Geoff, what are you doing later today?" When I indicated that I was about to help people pack items for the Victorian bushfire victims, they did not say a word in response. But when I turned up at 11 o'clock that day at Tweed Heads Civic Centre, about 15 volunteers were there. They did a ring-around, and they volunteered their time. They did not want to go home until the last container was packed.

I want to relate another touching moment during the campaign. A fairly elderly gentleman is suffering incurable cancer and has about three or four months to live. Initially when the call went out for shampoo, soap, hair brushes and other items, the gentleman came in with well over $200 worth of hair brushes, soap, shampoo, and so on. He had a smile on his face. The smile related to the fact that the hairdresser he had bought the items from thought it was rather strange, because due to his chemotherapy and radiation treatment he had no hair. He felt that although he had only a short time to live he wanted to help his fellow Australians. Once again I am 100 per cent for the Tweed and I am proud of the way the people of the Tweed actively took part in assisting our fellow Australians in Victoria.

Pursuant to sessional orders business interrupted and set down as an order of the day for a later hour.

[The Acting-Speaker (Mr Thomas George) left the chair at 1.34 p.m. The House resumed at 2.15 p.m.]

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