Debate resumed from an earlier hour.

Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [5.51 p.m.]: I support this condolence motion with the same feelings of shock, sadness and horror that are undoubtedly shared by everyone in this House and, indeed, by all Australians. This is a tragedy beyond words. We feel a sense of helplessness in our inability to say or do something to help ease the pain and suffering that thousands of our fellow Australians in Victoria are feeling at this moment. The shock of this disaster is intense. The devastation is horrific and the pain affects everyone. This is the worst natural disaster in Australia's recorded history in lives lost and dwarfs almost any other peacetime disaster in its scale and heartbreak. Towns such as Kinglake, Marysville, Narbethong, Callignee, Koornalla and Boolarra will be rebuilt. Of course, buildings can rise again and, as members have already said, can be rebuilt.

I recognise the generosity of the Northern Rivers people. On hearing of this tragedy, farmers and people who produce hay contacted me personally to offer to send truckloads of hay. One gentleman alone rang me to offer 1,000 tonnes of silage. I single out these people today because they are the same people I spoke about in this House about 12 months ago who were seeking relief because of the floods and hailstorms they had suffered. They now wanted to help their neighbours in Victoria.

Recently I attended the Melbourne memorial ceremony hosted by Latrobe University for Dr Richard Zann, who died in the 7 February Kinglake bushfire along with his wife, Eileen, and his daughter, Eva, who was 25 years of age. Richard is the son of the late Leon Zann and Mrs Gwen Zann, who still resides in Casino. The Zanns were a well-known local family. Richard was educated at Casino Marist Brothers—I am proud to say that is where I went to school as well—and St Johns College, Woodlawn, before studying zoology at universities in Armidale and Brisbane.

Richard went on to become an acclaimed, world-renowned zoologist and a global leader in the study of zebra finches and bird behaviour and communication. He was also a key team member researching animal recolonisation of the volcanic island of Anak Krakatau and was highly esteemed by generations of undergraduate students at Melbourne's Latrobe University, where he taught and undertook research for 39 years. His wife, Eileen Hodson, had been a dancer in the New Zealand Ballet Company before marrying Richard Zann at Evans Head and moving to Melbourne, where she ran a successful dance school while raising son, Chris, and daughter, Eva. As I said, Eva was 25 years of age and was embarking on a promising career in public relations and was a much-loved team member at Cancer Council Victoria.

The family holidayed every year at Evans Head, which is where I last saw Richard and his son, Chris, at Christmas. Chris, a Geelong surveyor, also suffered the loss of close school friends, neighbours and other friends of his mum and dad, and is receiving support from his extended family and a wide network of friends. The family is expected to be buried at Evans Head once the Victorian coroner releases their remains. I appreciated seeing Richard at Christmas. We all live busy lives. On Boxing Day I called into Evans Head to have a cup of coffee with my sister for her birthday. We went into a local coffee shop and there were Richard and his son. Even though I was running late I said to my sister and the people with me, "I want to have five minutes with Richard." I had not seen him for a couple of years and we ended up having half an hour together. He was leaving school as I was entering high school and we kept in touch as both our families knew each other very well. He spoke of retiring this year.

When I went to the service at Latrobe University the family asked me if I would be kind enough to say a few words. It was such a beautiful service for Richard, Eileen and Eva Zann. The family produced a booklet on their lives and what they had achieved. Richard's nephew Michael was the master of ceremonies. The tribute to Richard Zann was by Dr Michael Clarke, one of his colleagues. The tribute to Eileen Zann was by Delcia Fulloon, who was also from Kinglake. The tribute to Eva was by Petrea Cahir, Mikala Tai and Louise Osborne, all schoolmates of Eva's, and the family tribute was by Richard's brother, Professor Leon Zann.

They were a very good Catholic family and had tremendous faith. All of Richard's brothers and his sister were there. They were able to take his son, Chris, to Kinglake to see the site of the house for the first time. They could find only three things that were not affected by the fire. One was a porcelain ballerina that would have been in the bedroom. Regardless of the heat of the fire it was untouched. The other things, found side by side, were two pairs of rosary beads. Professor Leon Zann, who made the tribute to the family, said they were just sitting side by side. The rosary beads, the chain and the crosses were not affected. They were as if they were brand new. Chis has really treasured those. Leon said these were the rosary beads their mother, Gwen, gave to Richard and Eileen some months before but he said it did not look as if they had been used. That brought laughter to everyone, if one can get something out of that. The fact that they were untouched says a lot to that family.

The university and community were represented by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Johnson. I paid a tribute and passed on the good wishes of Casino, Evans Head and Lismore—where I grew up. The conclusion was given by Judd Bovell on behalf of Chris' mates. Then Chris stood up and thanked everyone. He appreciated that the theatre was full; indeed, the service was televised in the neighbouring theatre as well. Chris stood there and said, "I really appreciate everyone coming I'd also like you to think of our neighbours." He referred to two mates and another couple who were good friends of the family's down the road. I think he referred to about 10 people with whom he had been personally involved. Our hearts went out to Chris, hoping that he can now make the best of life while coping with the loss of his parents, his sister and his friends.

At the service I had the privilege of speaking on behalf of the family and friends of Richard, Eileen and Eva, and extended to them the love and support of their hometown of Casino, Evans Head, Lismore and the district. Glenn Roff, the principal of St Johns College, Woodlawn, rang me to extend the good wishes and prayers and thoughts of the students and old boys of the college. Professor Paul Clark, the Vice-Chancellor of Southern Cross University, and the Hon. John Dowd from Southern Cross University extended their thoughts, too. I believe that, like many other Kinglake residents, Richard and his family were constantly mindful of the threat of bushfire and always took every possible step to prepare their property. Yet nothing could have prepared anyone for the unannounced ferocity and awful speed of this firestorm.

Our hearts, prayers and thoughts go out to the Zanns and all those who have lost family, friends or property in this unparalleled disaster. We have a small community outside Lismore called Federal. It is a little town, probably similar in size to Kinglake. Shaun James decided to hold a concert last Saturday night to support some residents. He wanted to find someone and we were able to get in touch with Sharron McCyllock, the publican of the National Park Hotel in Kinglake. The people of Federal wanted to be in touch with another small community and give their proceeds directly to that community. Sharron informed me that the local football club had formed a trust account to try to look after some of the local people who may be struggling. The people of Federal, Shaun James and the team who put together the concert last Saturday night were so overwhelmed by support in terms of money and items to be auctioned for raffles that it was too much for one night. So they are holding another event this coming Saturday night. I congratulate them. Again, this is typical of what is happening across the Lismore electorate.

People can never come to terms with such a tragedy. The horror that these people have been through cannot in any full sense be shared with others. All we can offer them is our loyalty, support, love, care and commitment for the future. We think especially of the injured, many seriously injured. We think of the doctors and nurses who are caring for them. We think of lost property. But we also think of the firefighters, the emergency workers and the police. I thank the representatives and volunteers from the Northern Rivers and New South Wales generally. We think also of the members of the armed forces who are doing so much to provide assistance at this vital time, and of the councils and counsellors who are providing moral courage and support to so many in need. Today the Premier and other speakers thanked the families that have supported these volunteers who have gone away to do the job. We thank the employers who have been generous with their time. As the Leader of the Opposition or the Premier said, the employers have been generous because they felt it was one way of being able to personally help in this situation. Vale Richard, Eileen and Eva Zann. Chris, our prayers and thoughts are with you. What you are going through enlightens us about what everyone is trying to cope with. I shall conclude with a quote I read at the service:

Tears can't put out a fire but these fires won't dry our tears.

Mr BARRY COLLIER (Miranda—Parliamentary Secretary) [6.06 p.m.]: Try as we might, we can only imagine the pain and suffering of those who lost their lives in the Victorian bushfires. Try as we may, we cannot fully comprehend the horror of the family huddled together in their home as the bushfire bore down on it, or the fear of the occupants of a car fleeing along a smoke-filled country road, clearly unable to outrun the fire. Try as we may, we cannot fully appreciate the terror of that moment these victims encountered when they realised that death was imminent and inescapable. To those who have lost their loved ones, their families and their friends, we offer our deepest sympathies and our love. To those in hospital, in care and in counselling, bearing the scars of the bushfires outwardly and inwardly, I say that we as fellow Australians stand with you, united in our determination to support you in the days ahead. To those whose homes and townships have been destroyed, and whose communities have been shattered, I say that we stand united in our commitment to help you rebuild.

The memory of Saturday 7 February 2009 and those precious lives lost must endure for all time. The many stories of individual courage, of unselfishness, of dedication and commitment, of compassion and generosity, of love and of hope must be told and retold as long as we as a nation endure. I fully support Prime Minister Rudd's decision to make every 7 February a National Day of Mourning. The day must be a day when we remind ourselves of the loss of life, the loss of property and the untold suffering of so many. Let it also be a day when we remind ourselves of the unique character of our land, the unique character of our fire-prone bush and the unique character of the Australian people.

It is a character we see in the good times and when times are tough. It is a character we see in our neighbour, who offers assistance without our asking, or the passer-by who stops to lend a hand. It is a character we see in our magnificent volunteers. But more so, it is our spirit of generosity, of goodwill, of compassion and caring for those in need, a spirit that all true Australians hold dear. It is the spirit we saw throughout the bushfires, and it is the spirit we will see beyond. It is the Australian spirit of strength and reliance, which will help our Victorian brothers and sisters rebuild their communities and their lives. In keeping with that great Australian spirit, the people of other States have been generous in their support of our Victorian brothers and sisters in terms of financial and human resources, advice and assistance.

As the Premier said today, some 5,000 people, including members of the New South Wales Police Force, emergency services and State agencies have gone to Victoria to assist. Many others—professionals, trades men and women from this State—are giving their advice, assistance and support. I have the privilege of being the patron of the Grays Point Rural Fire Service, and have been so for almost 10 years. Grays Point, in my electorate, is a fire-prone area on the edge of the Royal National Park. In the 1980s three firefighters lost their lives not far from Grays Point Public School. In 1993 the brigade also lost one of its own, Peter Escourt. In 1994 we lost lives and property in Lincoln Crescent and in Soldiers Road, Jannali, in the Sutherland shire. The Grays Point Brigade fought those, as well as the Christmas bushfires in 2001 and 2002. That brigade is willing to go anywhere both within this State as well as interstate. In the past the brigade has served in country New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland as well as in the Sutherland Shire.

Led by Captain Wayne Roberts, the brigade secured a Premier's Community Service Award in 2000. Last night four members of the Grays Point Rural Fire Service—Captain Wayne Roberts, Colin Roberts, Megan Roberts and Deputy Captain Ian Kemp, left the shire to fight the fires in Victoria. Between them the Roberts family alone has more than 100 years experience in fighting fires and 100 years service to the Rural Fire Service. I rang Wayne and spoke with him and the other members whilst they were in their fire truck heading to Victoria. I wished them well as they were about to use their considerable skill and experience to assist our Victorian cousins. I wished them a safe return, as I am sure all residents of the Sutherland shire and all members of this House do. I am, and I remain, inspired by the dedication and commitment of these firefighters. I thank them and their families. They are always willing to put their lives on the line, and I am proud, yet humbled, to be their patron.

About one hour after that phone call with Wayne and the other members of his group on their way to Victoria I received a return phone call to my home from Captain Wayne Roberts. His brigade had met up with our colleague, Paul McLeay, the member for Heathcote, who is also captain of the Bundeena brigade. I spoke with Paul just before he and the members of the Grays Point Brigade went to a briefing session at Goulburn. I wished them well and a safe return, as I am sure all members of this House join me in that. Members of the Rural Fire Service from Grays Point and Bundeena have also been joined, I understand, by members from the Sandy Point Brigade in the Menai electorate.

These bushfires have touched the lives of so many in so many ways. We watched the television in a state of disbelief. We are and remain shocked by these fires and their ferocity. We remain affected by what we saw. Even what the highly experienced firefighters saw shocked them. They were shocked by the loss and the devastation and by the uncompromising fury of Mother Nature and what now is called Black Saturday. There are, of course, lessons to be learnt from these fires and, in time, theories will be advanced, explanations put forward and perhaps even blame will be apportioned. But now is not that time. As we speak in this House today the threat to life and property in Victoria remains. The crisis is not yet over. For many of our fellow Australians these bushfires will never be over. The tears will continue to fall. The losses will continue to be felt, the personal questions will continue to be asked softly by the survivors of themselves, and the families of those who have lost loved ones will continue to say, "If only".

Our first priority must be the men, women and children, the families and the communities of those affected by the Victorian bushfires. We as a nation of Australians must continue to support them. Whatever the help they need, whatever the time, whatever it takes in the days, weeks, months and, indeed, years ahead. I commend the condolence motion to the House.

Mr DARYL MAGUIRE (Wagga Wagga) [6.14 p.m.]: Shock, horror, bewilderment and disbelief are just some of the words that came to mind when the enormity of the bushfires in Victoria became evident on Sunday morning after I attended functions on the evening of Black Saturday in Sydney. We recall it was very hot with conditions just right for the kind of event that occurred in Victoria. Sadly, so many people lost their lives. As the enormity of the tragedy unfolded, together with all Australians I felt very touched and saddened by the sheer size of the tragedy and the speed with which it occurred.

Communities from not only Victoria but across Australia have felt the pain. In recent days and weeks since those terrible fires people have rallied together like I have never seen before, which shows the strength of the Australian sense of community of which I am proud to be a part when I saw our fellow citizens rally to help those unfortunate victims, their families and friends who have suffered. Many volunteers from community organisations were involved in not only fighting the fires but also dealing with the aftermath. I know that earlier speakers have talked about the great work of volunteers of the Fire Service, the police, ambulance, emergency rescue, State Emergency Service, Victorian Rural Fire Service and others.

The willpower and resolve of those magnificent volunteers have been tested. They stepped up to the mark and brought great credit to their organisations and communities. Volunteers from my local community assisted and continue to assist where possible with the fires. Since 7 February the Wagga Wagga contribution has been six ambulance officers, two Forensic Services Group police, six New South Wales Fire Brigade staff and 80 Rural Fire Service personnel from the Riverina zone. Joe Knox, the district superintendent told me that we have another task force of 20 people due to leave this Friday to further assist with fires that are sadly still raging in Victoria.

Today's weather forecast with windy conditions is grim for Victoria and much of the southern parts of New South Wales because they make the incidence of fire all the more difficult, and in some cases impossible, to fight. When volunteers leave home we hope and pray for their safe return. Sadly, sometimes volunteers are injured, as happened in Victoria to two firefighters from the Eunony Brigade, of which my wife, family and I hold membership, in the Riverina. A tree fell on them. Those trees are called widow makers because when the engines of the fire trucks are running and the firefighters are working with water pumps they cannot hear falling trees. Ken Knight and Bruce White were badly injured. On Monday 16 February in an article headed "Two Riverine firefighters hospitalised in Victoria" the Daily Advertiser states:

TWO Riverina volunteer fire-fighters are in hospital in Melbourne, having been seriously injured while battling the Victorian bushfires.

NSW Rural Fire Service volunteer, deputy captain Ken Knight, 64, and Bruce White, 48, from the Eunony Brigade, were injured late on Saturday afternoon when they were hit by a falling tree.

They were part of an 18-man strike force team that was mopping up near Crystal Creek Road in the Alexandra district, east of Yea.

Mr Knight is currently in Royal Melbourne Hospital with a suspected spinal fracture while Mr White is in the Alfred Hospital with a suspected chipped vertebra, cracked ribs and a broken ankle.

The accident was witnessed by Mr White's brother Robert who saw that the tree was going to hit them but was unable to warn the pair in time.

Mr Knight and Mr White were injured close to knock-off time on what was their first shift on the Victorian operation, having only arrived earlier that day.

Both men are in a stable condition and are expected to make a fully recovery.

Yesterday, captain of the Eunony Brigade, Graham White, another brother of Mr White, said it was a case of "in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Graham White is also best friends and neighbours with Mr Knight.

"It happens. Trees fall down. They are both very experienced. Basically, they were in the wrong place at the wrong time", he said.

"Robert saw it falling and tried to warn them but it was too late. They're not the first (to be hit by a tree) and they won't be the last."

The three White brothers, Robert, Graham and Bruce, have more than 70 years of rural firefighting experience between them.

Graham White joined the RFS when he was just 16.

He described Mr Knight, who is married with an adult daughter, as "the best mate I've ever had".

His brother Bruce is "just an ordinary, hardworking kind of bloke", he said.

He said both families had been notified and arrangements were being made to visit the men in Melbourne.

The White brothers have a connection with this place—they are the grandsons of Eddie Graham, who was the member for Wagga Wagga until his untimely death in 1957. The White family is very well known in the Eunony area. They are great citizens and make an enormous contribution. In fact I believe Graham's son is also in the fire brigade, as are many other members of the community.

When the news hit our city, we were concerned about the condition of these two great citizens and I am pleased to report that Ken Knight has returned to Wagga Wagga and is back at his workplace on light duties—a little knocked around, but home, and we are so grateful for that. Bruce White is still in hospital in Melbourne and is expected to be there for another 10 to 11 weeks. He has a broken ankle and a halo brace. I am told that both men are in good spirits. A few days after the accident I spoke to Leonie White, Bruce's sister-in-law, because I wanted to know if there was anything I could do to assist. I was told that the emergency Ministers for New South Wales and Victoria had visited them and offered assistance. I am grateful for the Ministers taking the time to visit our firefighters and offer assistance—it really is appreciated.

The communities have rallied together in fundraising events. Our city would be no different from any other town, village or hamlet throughout New South Wales, and indeed Australia, where communities have wanted to do something to help. The Red Cross, the Salvation Army, football clubs, hockey groups—even the Ulysses motorcycle group—have held fundraisers. People involved in the musical industry have rallied together and raised funds. Wagga Wagga has raised tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, which has gone to the bushfire appeal, and it continues to do so. In a recent television interview I said how proud I was of our communities and the way in which they had pulled together to offer the people of Victoria assistance, and again I state that for the record. Trying times such as these really do bring out the best in people. This is evident in the electorate of Wagga Wagga and the towns of Tumut, Batlow, Adelong, Lockhart, The Rock, Yerong Creek and Tarcutta. All of those towns have found ways and means to raise money for this cause. Seeing the telethon that was set up immediately to raise $100 million and the amounts being contributed in what are very difficult times should make every citizen of this country very proud.

There will be need for more assistance in the months and years ahead. There are now advertisements asking for tradesmen and skilled people to give assistance. I know that some church groups are doing that. A friend of mine, John Rumens, was recently reported in the paper asking for people to come and fence. It is a skill not all of us in this place would have, but I know that my neighbour Geoff Ashley is going to volunteer. He was told that three days was required of him and he said, "Well, what's the point of going for three days? I think I'll go for a couple of weeks". If Parliament were not sitting, I think I would have gone with him. Like a lot of people, I am considering other ways that I can help. I am not a bad fencer and would be happy to assist in that way too.

There are some lessons to be learned as the weeks and months go on and, sadly, we disseminate what occurred. What is evident to me is that in mountain communities, such as Batlow and Tumut, we need to work very hard on fire evacuation, fire prevention and litter reduction plans, and building codes and standards, so that communities are protected. There is a lot of work to be done. I do not want to see another tragedy of the scale we have witnessed—the largest in our history—but if it does occur, which it will because of the nature of the environment in which we live, we need to minimise the damage that occurs. We need to minimise the hurt and harm that fires wreak on communities.

If you look at the difference between a flood and a fire, floodwater tends to rise slowly and there are some things that people can do to protect their wellbeing and possessions, particularly those things that are precious and irreplaceable, but a fire leaves nothing but dust and ash. There is no forgiveness in a fire, just devastation and ash in its aftermath. When one views the photographs that have been printed in the media you looks at the pictures that have been distributed on the Internet, the force of this fire was a force that man could not contend with. Man could not tame it.

In saying that, there is a lesson to be learned and a message to us all: that we need to ensure that all communities have fire plans in place; that we work hard to reduce fuel load and that we understand that when a fire such as this occurs, there is a need for all involved to make decisions about their course of action, whether to exit or stay. I think there is a bigger question that must be asked. If we say to a person who lives in a flood zone—as I do—"If the water reaches a certain level you must evacuate", I think we must consider the same with fire, depending on its intensity. But that is a debate for a later time; it is something that needs to be discussed in the calm of the reports that will be delivered on the cause of the fire and the difficulties experienced. I join with other members in offering my sincerest condolences to people, families, loved ones and friends, who have suffered through this terrible tragedy. I commend the motion to the House.

Mr ROBERT COOMBS (Swansea) [6.29 p.m.]: Like the speakers before me, I, too, register my heartfelt sorrow and sadness at the loss of lives and offer my sympathy to those who have been traumatised by the loss of family members, friends and mates. Quite frankly, I have never witnessed the extent of grief in the community that this very tragic event has generated—it is palpable. Australians have been affected by other tragedies such as the Thredbo landslide and the Newcastle earthquake, and death resulting from wars, but I compare the Victorian bushfires with the Bali bombings for the number of people who were touched by those terrible events. For a similar set of circumstances to be repeated only a few short years later and for the Australians to unite to support the families who have been so heavily traumatised says something about the Australian community.

I do not know where one starts to thank and congratulate the many people who have responded to the events: the police, New South Wales Fire Brigades and Ambulance Service personnel, and the many thousands of volunteers. I do not know how one can congratulate or thank them adequately, except to say that we should all do something in the not-too-distant future to ensure they understand that we appreciate their efforts. I have some friends who live in a little place called Harrietville in the Victorian Alps. Harrietville was not threatened this time by the bushfires but it has been in the past. My friends have said that on Saturday 7 February it was difficult to breathe outside and the heat was unbearable. They expressed their amazement at the courage displayed by people trying to defend life and property. We must acknowledge their actions today and into the future.

Today I inform the House of a fantastic function, organised by the Lake Macquarie community in a short time frame, which raised $17,000. When we first heard the news Jill Hall, the Federal member for Shortland, the mayor of Lake Macquarie and State member for Lake Macquarie, Greg Piper, and I considered what we, as a community, could do to help people to share their build up of grief and contribute practically to assist the people in the Victorian Alps who had been devastated by these fires. We organised a fundraising event. We tried to organise it for the following Sunday but, ironically, the heavens opened and it rained so we had to cancel it. We were able to arrange the event for the following Sunday, the National Day of Mourning, which allowed us more time to organise it.

On that day the people of Lake Macquarie, Belmont and Swansea were able to join together to share their grief and contribute in a practical way. The response was nothing short of amazing. Indeed, 75 local businesses were prepared, without any cajoling, to donate to ensure that the event was a success. I will read the names of those businesses onto Hansard because they would appreciate their names being recorded. Donations were received from ABC Radio; Animal Crackers, Austereo; Belmont Amcal Pharmacy; Belmont Bunnings; Belmont Cake Shop; Belmont Chamber of Commerce; Belmont Citi Centre; Belmont Coles; Belmont Copy Centre; Belmont Ministers Association, Father Clive Gerard; Belmont Station New South Fire Brigade; Belmont Retravision; Belmont Rotary Club; Belmont Quality Meats; Belmont Woolworths; Blondies Beauty Salon; BNP Security; Caffe Macquarie; Caves Beach Butcher; Caves Beachside Resort, Chris Osborne; Clan McEwan Pipe Band; Community First Credit Union; and Companion Credit Union.

Donations were also received from Darby's Fresh Bake, Swansea; Deck 56; Gunyah Hotel; Hollebone Quality Meats; In2Sport, Belmont; Jim Cowburn; Kaylah Anne; Kennards Hire, Lambton; Kennards Hire, Warners Bay; Kevin's Meats; Lake Macquarie City Council; Lakeside Real Estate; Lakes United Rugby League Club; Logic Hair Design; Marks Point Corner Shop; Marks Point Hair Salon; Marks Point Newsagency; Marks Point Post Office; Marks Point Takeaway; Mayfair Jewellers, Swansea; Megamania Playland and Cafe; Milano's Restaurant; Murray's "Tenderlean" Meats, Swansea; Newcastle Jets Football Club; Newcastle Knights Rugby League Club; Newcastle Permanent Building Society; Newcastle Star; Nextra Newsagency; Nords Wharf Rural Fire Service; Pelican JetBuzz Jet Boats; Red Cross; Rusty Springfield; Salvation Army, Belmont; Sesames on the Lake; Showcase Jewellers; Squid's Ink; Soup and Song; Spotlight Newcastle; Sun Patch Gift and Kitchenware; Swansea Chamber of Commerce; Swansea Coles; Swansea Lions Club; Swansea RSL Club; Swansea Workers Club; 2HD/NewFM; Ultimate Style Hairdresser; Uproar; Viktoria's Shoes; Westpac Bank, Belmont; Warren Ure Jazz Band; and Mark Wilson.

They are not multinational companies by any stretch of the imagination; they are small businesses run by hardworking mums and dads. They were eager to donate something from their business to ensure that the small event we organised was able to do two things: to embody a grief-sharing ceremony and raise money to send to those who have been so traumatised by these fires. I thank those business people for their efforts. We ended up having fine weather for the function, which was held on the shores of Lake Macquarie at Belmont South where approximately $17,000 was raised. Jill Hall, the Federal member, Greg Piper, the mayor and State member, and I were very moved by that. I extend special thanks to the Belmont Red Cross, Belmont Rotary Club, Belmont Salvation Army, the Belmont Chamber of Commerce and the Swansea Chamber of Commerce, which did an outstanding job and were quick to recognise that the community had to face this problem and make a genuine contribution. Again I thank everyone who made the day a success. I place on record my heartfelt condolences and sympathy to those affected by the fires, and commend the condolence motion to the House.

Mr ROB STOKES (Pittwater) [6.40 p.m.]: I speak on behalf of the people of Pittwater in support of this condolence motion for the victims of the Victorian bushfires. The people of Pittwater offer their heartfelt condolences to all of those whose lives, families and livelihoods have been affected by these terrible events. Many people in my community of Pittwater can empathise to some degree with the people of Victoria because of our experience of bushfires in January 1994 when the whole western foreshore of Pittwater, which is surrounded by bush, was alight and the ridge lines completely lit up. The area around Currawong had to be evacuated because of the bushfire threat. It was certainly with a degree of empathy that the Pittwater community heard the news of the tragedy in Victoria.

The ministers fraternal of Pittwater did a wonderful thing in organising a public ecumenical service so that the people of Pittwater could come together and show their grief, compassion and solidarity for the people of Victoria. They joined in prayer and reflection and discussed ways in which mutual and practical support could be given to the bushfire victims. Under the leadership of Pastor Ric Bolen, who organised the service, there was real expression of the message of hope in that out of this tragedy came so many expressions of love and support for one another. On that note I pass on my thanks and acknowledge the efforts of all in Pittwater who gave so generously in this enormous national show of support to those who suffered so much in Victoria.

On behalf of the people of Pittwater I acknowledge and thank the officers, volunteers and professionals from the State Emergency Service, Volunteer Rescue Association, National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW Forests, ambulance officers, police officers and New South Wales Fire Brigade officers, many of whom are assisting in the clean-up and to support the survivors. I also acknowledge the efforts of volunteers of the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol who helped man hotlines for the bushfire disaster, many of whom came from the Pittwater community. I especially acknowledge and thank those wonderful officers from the New South Wales rural fire brigades who have provided so much support to our Victorian brothers and sisters.

Last week I had the privilege of attending the national medal and long service awards ceremony for the Warringah-Pittwater bush fire brigade. Commissioner Fitzsimmons gave an emotional account of his experiences in serving the people of Victoria during the bushfires. It was an opportunity to honour many of our local heroes who have provided so much support for our community over many years in protecting us from the threat of bushfires. I particularly acknowledge John Russell from the Cottage Point brigade, among many others from that brigade, Ross Goodman from Ingleside, Brett Morschel from Tumbledown Dick, and Bruce Poulter, Peter Owens and Ronald Gear from Terrey Hills, all of whom were honoured for long service to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.

That awards ceremony was a time to grieve as a community and to acknowledge our human frailty and powerlessness, but also to reflect on what can be done in practical terms to support those who are suffering. In that vein I make a suggestion as part of this condolence motion. I note that Archicentre is urging the establishment of standards for fire shelters—not just the materials and components that go to make the shelters but the shelters themselves—so that people can be assured when they purchase a fire shelter and construct it appropriately they have the best possible chance of surviving a bushfire. Given what we know about climate change, bushfires are likely to happen more often and to become more intense. In relation to Archicentre's suggestion and in light of the fact that we have recently produced a housing code, I think there is an opportunity for members in this House to look at whether a code could apply to fire shelters and that they be considered a form of complying development. The aim would be to make them easy to install and to give people who purchase them confidence that they will be protected inside them.

It is difficult to reflect for too long on the bushfires. One is left with feelings of horror and that bushfires are evil, unjust and remorseless. In one sense while reflecting on these matters is natural and understandable it does not get us anywhere. Instead we need to reflect on what fires do to refine those wonderful human qualities of compassion, empathy and love. Certainly we have seen these qualities in the enormous outpouring of support for those in Victoria who have survived, and compassion and sympathy for those who have lost loved ones. Out of tragedy we have seen a little of the frailty and the beauty of our shared humanity. For these reasons I commend the condolence motion to the House.

Mr KERRY HICKEY (Cessnock) [6.47 p.m.]: On behalf of my electorate I express condolences to the families of Victorian bushfire victims, who have also lost material possessions and their homes, and express my respect for those who have perished. I also express my admiration for those who have volunteered and worked so tirelessly to help our fellow Australians in Victoria. Saturday 7 February 2009, which is now known as Black Saturday, will be indelibly imprinted on everyone's memory. Who could ever imagine such high-risk circumstances leading to 210 deaths, 30 people missing and more than 500 injured in such horrific circumstances? It was a day when the temperature was 48 degrees Celsius with 4 per cent humidity and a fire index of 360 on a scale of 100. What chance did volunteer firefighters and experienced firefighters ever have of controlling such mammoth bushfires?

Ember spotting happened kilometres in front of the fire front. People did not know whether they should leave; they had to make up their minds within minutes. We have all read and heard reports for many weeks now about how people were confronted with the fire spotting, horrific winds of 100 kilometres an hour, smoke that blotted out all light, and the noise of the fire. Anyone who has ever been caught in a bushfire knows very well the noise that is generated. It is like jet engines above you; it is really scary. The aftermath of the fire was that towns were literally wiped out, people lost neighbours and families lost family members. It is unbelievable that we could face this sort of tragedy in 2009. Even more unbelievable is that we think we can beat Mother Nature.

To feel helpless, to feel sadness, to feel sympathy for all the victims of this horrific fire is a natural thing. We saw this across the world—not just in New South Wales and not just in Victoria, but worldwide—with many people wanting to help. Within our own communities, many groups formed overnight. Condolences were given by so many organisations. It was normal, average people banding together to help fellow Australians with a greater need than themselves. It made me feel so proud to watch many groups, virtually overnight, start fundraising activities to help out the victims—whether it be people walking up the street with a bucket and asking shoppers to provide donations, or the holding of events such as the member for Swansea spoke about, an event also organised by the Federal member for Shortland and the member for Lake Macquarie. That was not just a Belmont-Swansea event; it ended up being a regional event. I attended the event, as did some of the people from Cessnock I spoke to. A media release issued by Clubs NSW reads:

Clubs and their members have spent the past four weeks collecting money for bushfire victims, with this week's fundraisers taking the total donation to more than $1.7 million. With dozens of bushfire appeal events happening over the next fortnight and 2,300 collection tins still to be collected, clubs are hoping they can raise $2 million for the bushfire victims.

It simply shows the enormity of people's generosity across our State and country. Within days, as we saw with the Channel 9 fundraiser, some of the stars in America were making donations and sending their best wishes. It shows the sort of country we live in and it makes me proud to be Australian. In Australia volunteering seems to be just second nature. Many people volunteer their services to fight these fires; indeed, many people volunteer in many different ways. But in a lot of other countries people do not volunteer anywhere near as much. All of us should stand very proud to be Australian. But we also must remember that Mother Nature rules at the end of the day.

Many speakers have raised the issue of fuel around properties. On the week of New Year's Day this year I was in the Kinglake area fishing with my brother. My brother raised the issue of fuel around the area and how bad it was. With the benefit of hindsight, it is easy to look back and say today what we should and should not have done. But at the end of the day, we should all take heed and ensure that we clear around our properties to make them as fire safe as possible. It is easy to say that people should either leave the area or stay and fight the fire. But when people have literally only minutes to make the decision before the fire is upon them, it is not enough time. We need to have a better system in place. Our Federal counterparts are already looking into that, and I think ultimately they will come up with a good scheme. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If we knew what was going to happen we would be able to fix many of our problems.

Many people lost many material possessions, and they can be replaced. Many people lost everything in their homes—their medals, their children's moneyboxes, or whatever. It is the sentimental things one really misses. But to lose loved ones in a fire—I cannot even for a moment imagine how that would feel. In the Cessnock electorate we see bushfires on a regular basis. This year—touch wood—hopefully it will stay the way it is without too many fires. Since becoming the local member I recall at least three occasions on which Cessnock has been declared a disaster area because of bushfires. A bushfire is not a strange event for many people in the Cessnock community. But we should not forget for one moment the volunteers and, most of all, their families and how they go without whilst the volunteers go off to fight fires, whether it be in New South Wales or Victoria. On several occasions one of my friends has been out fighting fires on Christmas Day. His family has gone without a father on Christmas Day while he has been trying to save people's properties.

Other members have spoken about the scale of this tragedy. I do not think I have seen anything of this magnitude, other than Cyclone Tracy in 1974. I can only just remember Cyclone Tracy; I was just 14 years of age. I remember the night the cyclone hit: it washed the ship Sigma onto Stockton Bite, which is a great fishing spot. In 1974 a whole town was devastated. That is how significant the Victorian situation really is. Veterinarians in the Hunter Valley have been sending medical supplies to Victoria to look after many injured native wildlife. It simply shows that many people are working well together to provide assistance. Australia is a truly diverse country and the fact that we have floods in Bourke and bushfires in Melbourne shows how problematic our weather is and how it will become a lot worse with climate change affecting all aspects of our lives.

As I said at the beginning of my contribution, 48 degrees Celsius, with 4 per cent humidity and 100 kilometre per hour winds was always going to be problematic. And those conditions will continue to be problematic into the future if we do not address the climate change issues. On behalf of my electorate I extend our condolences to all the bushfire victims and to all those who have lost their possessions. To lose a family member or members would be absolutely soul destroying. I also extend my respect and admiration to those who have volunteered and worked tirelessly to help our fellow Australians in Victoria.

Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE (Bega) [6.57 p.m.]: This evening I wish to place on the parliamentary record on behalf of the people of the Bega electorate our deepest sympathies and condolences to the many hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have been left to deal with the unimaginable grief that resulted from the bushfire events in Victoria. As we speak this evening, firefighters from the Bega electorate are involved in firefighting operations in the Bunyip State Forest and at Wilsons Promontory. They are there to support the people of Victoria, and to support the families who have experienced what is an unimaginable event and one which certainly those from country New South Wales in particular live in fear of happening in this State.

I will never forget that Saturday afternoon. For the benefit of those who do not know the Bega electorate, it is largely due east of Victoria. On that Saturday afternoon I stood at Cobargo Show, in the middle of the showground at the show opening. It was 46 degrees Celsius in the shade. One of the dairy farmers had brought in a thermometer to measure the temperature at the show. The humidity was about 16 per cent and the winds were gusty. At the time we had two major fire events happening in the electorate, two section 44 fires, one at Belimbla and the other at Jingera Rock. We had people out there fighting those fires and other fires starting. One of them was at Myrtle Mountain, which, I was later advised, was deliberately lit.

Since Christmas we have experienced of the order of 175 fire events in the Bega electorate. Firefighters, who have fought fires for the past two months, are still doing their best to assist people in Victoria. Like everyone else, I was shocked to see the footage and to hear the stories. Many people from Victoria migrated to the Bega electorate to retire and, as a result, people in the Bega electorate were affected or had loved ones who had lived through this terrifying and horrible event. No doubt it tested the heart of Victoria and the nation to respond to such an emergency and a tragedy.

It will take Victorians time to rebuild. However, the purpose of today's motion is to offer deep sympathy to those who were directly affected as a result of the loss of property, the loss of a home or, even more tragically, the loss of a loved one. The ongoing contribution of members of the Rural Fire Service and the fire brigades has been truly remarkable. One organisation that I have not heard mentioned thus far in debate is the Red Cross, which coordinated this enormous relief effort. No doubt the member for Penrith will refer to the fact that the Red Cross has done a remarkable job of coordinating much of the fundraising effort. When these types of tragedies occur, country people rally together strongly because they live with the threat of bushfires every summer. Members would be aware that the fire season has also been extended due to climatic change.

The scale and enormity of events in Victoria have greatly affected the nation. However, I know from experience that those communities will rebuild. My grandparents, who live in the westernmost street in Chapman in the Australian Capital Territory, were caught off guard when the Canberra fires occurred on a Saturday afternoon. My grandmother stayed and fought the fires as they burned through the suburbs of Canberra. Thankfully, my grandparents' home was one of only a handful that remained standing in their street. The Canberra community has rebuilt and the Victorian communities that have been directly affected by these bushfires will rebuild incredibly strongly. Many communities have not gone away; they have remained and they are rebuilding, as Australians do, in these sorts of circumstances.

Twelve volunteers from my region and other members of the Rural Fire Service are currently assisting to fight fires at Wilsons Promontory. In recent weeks Andrew Stark, the incident controller, had oversight of the two section 44 fires in the Bega electorate. Andrew, who is currently assisting operations in Victoria, led a team of committed professionals to fight those difficult fires. In the backs of their minds they knew about the events that were occurring in Victoria. I know, after speaking to a number of volunteers, that they wanted to go and assist the Victorians but they could not because they had to deal with the emergency that was occurring on their own doorstep.

Many members have referred to fundraising events that are being held in their communities. Almost every town in every State is involved in some form of fundraising, for example, placing a collection tin on a bar in a pub through to other initiatives such as the Sapphire Coast Bushfire Support Program that is being run by Tony and Kari Esplin to bring people to the far South Coast of New South Wales to give them a break. It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge that following this tragedy there has been an enormous outpouring of support, which will continue. In the future communities on the far South Coast will continue to rally and to provide support and ongoing funding. Local government has indicated its willingness to provide necessary support down the track in the form of planning advice, consulting work and the like.

At the appropriate time the bushfires that occurred in Victoria must be closely examined. After every major bushfire disaster inquiries have been conducted, but in Victoria a royal commission has been appointed. I applaud the Victorian Government for appointing that commission so quickly. I would like to see a similar royal commission examine the disasters that have occurred in other States. Today in this Chamber all members have expressed their deepest sympathies and condolences to those who have been affected by this tragedy. In due course we will have a discussion about bushfire management, but today is not the time to have that debate.

I found amazing the professionalism of the Victorian Country Fire Authority, which is currently receiving the assistance of professional firefighters from a number of jurisdictions. Without doubt it is tragic when any firefighter loses his or her life, and such a tragedy occurred following the disastrous bushfires in Victoria on Saturday. I note the resilience and spirit of Australians when tragedies such as this occur in our communities. That Saturday, when I opened the Cobargo Show in the Bega electorate, I was fearful that a similar event would occur in New South Wales. Late that Saturday night the Victorian fires affected the Bega electorate but we were lucky as we had the right wind conditions. Unfortunately for Victoria it did not have the same conditions. On behalf of the people of the Bega electorate I extend deepest sympathies and condolences to those families who lost loved ones in the bushfires and to those who were directly affected as a result of the loss of their homes.

Mrs KARYN PALUZZANO (Penrith—Parliamentary Secretary) [7.08 p.m.]: I, like all members in this House, pay respect to all those who were killed in the tragic bushfires that ravaged Victoria. On behalf of constituents in the Penrith electorate and the lower Blue Mountains area I extend condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives and I pay respect to those involved in the enormous firefighting effort. I convey my best wishes to the hundreds of families who lost their homes and their businesses. Many members have conveyed similar thoughts and expressions of grief. The Penrith community and communities in Victoria share one thing in common.

The Great Dividing Range runs through the Penrith electorate and through several Victorian electorates. During the fire season families living in homes in the lower Blue Mountains area live in trepidation and fear of bushfires. In the electorate of Penrith and in the lower Blue Mountains many emergency service personnel prepare for battle during the fire season. The battle that raged in Victoria was of extreme proportions. The temperature had been 48 degrees centigrade for a number of days—on Black Saturday the Penrith electorate also experienced extremely high temperatures—the humidity was 4 per cent and the fire danger rating was 360. It was unbelievable.

The electorate of Penrith and the lower Blue Mountains experienced fires in 1968-69, 1977-78, 1993-94, on Christmas Day in 2001 and many times since then. As a young child growing up in the lower Blue Mountains, I experienced my first major fire event during the 1968-69 fires—I will not say how young I was at the time. We were evacuated. I packed my Barbie dolls in my Globite suitcase and off I went to Penrith. I remember the colour of the clouds, the sounds and the impact the fires had on the community. People's lives and homes were lost in the lower Blue Mountains during the 1968-69 fires. We were primary school students and, like the students of Kinglake, the grief and tragedy had an impact on our lives. Unlike in the 1968-69 fires, this time the Victorian and the Australian communities have rallied round those schools to provide the counselling required. There were also many tragedies during the 1977-78 fires—I was a little older but still at school. The community ensured that Rural Fire Service units were as well equipped as possible. There is still a retained fire brigade at Glenbrook in which some of the sons of the 1977-78 volunteers serve. In 1993-94 there were many fires around the Sydney Basin, including at Penrith. I remember seeing the smoke encircling the Sydney Basin. My son was born in November 1993 and on 7 January 1994 there was so much smoke in and around the Penrith area that, as a young mum, I was fearful of taking him outside.

The Penrith area and the affected areas in Victoria have many commonalities. It has been fantastic to see communities band together to help the fire victims. I am proud to say that residents of Penrith and the lower Blue Mountains have rallied to provide assistance. More than 45 Rural Fire Service officers and three vehicles from the Cumberland zone have travelled to Victoria to help fight the vicious blazes. Many New South Wales Fire Brigades members based in Penrith and local police have also gone to help. I know of one officer in the victim identification area of the local forensics division who went to Bali to help after the bombings and who is now offering assistance in Victoria.

Every fire season I call on my emergency fire services to wish them good luck and to have a general chat. Before Christmas I discussed the past season with the commander of the Cumberland fire zone, Richard Petch. Penrith experienced a storm event at the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008. We talked about fuel loads, humidity, rain, extreme temperatures and the need for resources. I did not appreciate the impact that the fires in Victoria would have on the Penrith and lower Blue Mountains communities. We talked about our needs but, in a show of camaraderie, local resources are now being used in Victoria.

I would like to thank the school students in my electorate. I was a young child when I returned to school following the 1968-69 fires, and we needed to talk about what had happened. Students of the Penrith valley—20 local primary and secondary schools—have raised more than $35,000 in their bushfire appeal. The Premier and I were fortunate to watch the Windsor Wolves play Wentworthville in a pre-season match. While we were at the match we met some lads from Glenmore Park High School who told us about a barbecue they were going to hold to raise funds for the bushfire appeal. They had knocked on the doors of local businesses and urged them to donate buns and sausages in aid of the Penrith valley public schools bushfire appeal. I commend those students and all the others who raised funds for the bushfire appeal.

I also commend the many community organisations that have offered assistance. As patron of the Penrith Red Cross I pay my respects to, and commend the work of, the Red Cross, which was the first organisation to provide assistance following the fires. Many other organisations are also helping in Victoria. The Salvation Army has been mentioned tonight for its wonderful work. The Red Cross has different sub-branches throughout Australia and the blood collection unit of the Penrith Red Cross at Nepean hospital has done wonderful work. Not only has approximately $150 million been donated to the Red Cross Appeal but also the number of blood donations has increased. The Penrith Red Cross has been working hard to ensure that blood donations are received.

Local businesses must also be commended for their excellent contributions—one local business is displaying a sign indicating how much money it has raised. Following the pre-season match between the Windsor Wolves and Wentworthville—which was the first preseason match to be held at Penrith for many decades—Parramatta played Penrith in the Toyota Cup. At that pre-season match the local Rotary club seized the opportunity to raise money for the Victorian bushfire appeal. Penrith Panthers, as part of the ClubsNSW fundraising event, are allocating a portion of the day's gate takings to the bushfire appeal.

On the national Day of Mourning a number of churches in my electorate held special services. I attended a service at St Nicholas of Myra, and in his homily Father Chris D'Souza made us aware of the impact of the bushfires and the donation that the parish had made to the Kinglake parish. Councillor Mark Greenhill led a prayer at Glenbrook for the Baptist community. The Penrith Anglican College has also raised money for the Anglican parish at Kinglake. I would like to thank the 3,242 members of the Rural Fire Service, a number of who come from the Penrith area.

I thank also the 395 Fire Brigades personnel, particularly Mr Glenn Launt, who is from the Penrith contingent that is in Victoria at the moment; the 25 State Emergency Services [SES] volunteers; the 135 ambulance officers; the 337 National Parks and Wildlife Service firefighters; and the 42 personnel from Forests NSW. The Victorian wilderness area, like the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, is a fragile environment that requires strong resourcing in order to fight fires. I commend also the 321 New South Wales police officers and the one police dog. I note also the one New South Wales member of Parliament, the member for Heathcote, Paul McLeay, who is in Victoria in his capacity as a volunteer with the Rural Fire Service.

I pay particular attention not only to the human tragedy but also to those people dealing with the animals affected by this disaster as well as to those within the parks offices dealing with the wildlife and examining the affected ecosystems and habitats. I express my condolences because I do not believe any of us could imagine what it would be like to see an entire community wiped out, with such an inconceivable loss of life. On behalf of the people of Penrith and the lower Blue Mountains I express my deepest sympathies and offer my condolences, as have all members of this House, to those affected by this terrible tragedy.

Mr STEVE CANSDELL (Clarence) [7.21 p.m.]: On behalf of the people of the Clarence electorate I express my heartfelt regret and sorrow at the lives lost, families torn apart and communities destroyed in Victoria. We offer them our support. More than 450,000 hectares of country were burnt out by the horrific inferno. Almost 2,000 homes have been destroyed, 210 people have been confirmed dead and more than 30 are missing—a figure that could increase significantly. Many of the 500 injured have suffered horrific burns and are in hospital. Some of them may not survive. Those figures do not include the tens of thousands of creatures that were decimated in the inferno along with the 450,000 hectares of flora—much of which, because of the heat and intensity, will likely not recover for some years.

However, I suppose it is the nature of Australians that adversity seems to galvanise communities and bring us together. People have put up their hands across Australia, especially in New South Wales communities, to help those in need in Victoria. My electorate has held many fundraising activities in Casino, Evans Head, Maclean, Grafton, Ulmarra, Copmanhurst and elsewhere. Everyone from schools, the local Country Women's Association, the united hospitals auxiliaries to the hotels has put up their hand. I attended a Black Saturday fundraiser at the Grafton Gallery Foundation a couple of weeks ago. Max Cruise Wines offered a special wine collection that had been stored for fundraising at another time and raised $700. Jamie from the Maclean Hotel held a function in conjunction with the Gulmarad Rural Fire Service that raised around $10,000 in one night. For a small community like Maclean that is an amazing feat. The other night Vicki Gulaptis organised a dance function at the bowling club that raised more funds. The list goes on and on.

One person I need to mention is David Dowde, who took it upon himself to organise two train trips from Queensland. He organised with Queensland Rail for the first train to drop off four carriages at Grafton to be loaded with things such as fodder, toys and clothing. He then organised through Pacific National, with the help of the Australian Rail Track Corporation, for another train to come to Grafton onto which similar items such as clothes, children's cots and vital accessories were loaded, thanks to the great generosity of the people of the Clarence electorate. A standout for me was when a school—I believe it was Grafton Public School—shopped around for books to replace those lost at a library in Marysville or in one of the small Victorian schools that lost everything. It was amazing to see the charity; people have huge hearts. Even though they are in dire economic straits, at times of adversity people seem to find the dollars they have put away for a rainy day.

Of course, we must congratulate our Rural Fire Service volunteers on their work. Volunteers from the Richmond and Clarence areas of my electorate have given up their jobs and wages for a few weeks and gone to Victoria to help; they have walked away from their families to battle alongside the Victorian Country Fire Authority. I have talked about the camaraderie that such events build. One does not want to start playing the blame game but we must consider the simple issues. Royal commissions were held into the Black Friday fires in 1939, the Black Tuesday fires in 1967, the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983, and the Canberra fires in 2002-03. Now we have the Black Saturday fires of 7 February 2009. All those royal commissions reached the same findings. Australia has experienced droughts and dry times when the countryside is a tinderbox. We have suffered through weeks of extreme weather—heat and wind—that we cannot control. But all the royal commissions arrived at the same finding: there was not enough hazard reduction.

Two weeks ago there was a story in the newspaper about a property owner who had cleared trees and was fined $50,000 for doing so. After the fires went through on Black Saturday his was the only property left within a three-kilometre radius. Does that send a message? Two weeks ago the shadow Minister for Emergency Services, Melinda Pavey, and I met with representatives of the Rural Fire Service at Glenreagh. The captain said to me, "Steve, we used to authorise hazard reduction burn-offs in our area. It was a simple process whereby people wanting to burn off would come in and we would go and inspect the area and give them the okay. Now we have 17 pages of bureaucratic forms to fill out and we must prepare a fire burn plan. The information is sent to an office outside the area and someone sitting at a desk says yes or no. Half the time they say no. Because of the problems involved many people do not bother doing it and it is creating havoc."

I have read that anything over 10 tonnes of fuel per hectare is dangerous. So 30 tonnes of fuel—which is what they had in Victoria—was an inferno waiting to happen. Officers from the National Parks and Wildlife Service have told me that national parks in the Clarence electorate have 60 tonnes of fuel per hectare. We have not had a dry season for the past few years but five years ago there were fires at Copmanhurst when people were forbidden to back-burn or burn off. A lady rang me the day after the fires went through. She was crying not about having to put down cattle but about having to walk around with her husband using an axe handle to put down wallabies whose faces were burnt off and whose paws were burnt to nothing. They could do nothing in the face of the inferno's ferocity, destruction and devastation.

We must start looking to the future. If nothing else comes from these fires, let us hope that common sense prevails. We need a reality check. By stopping hazard reduction we are not protecting the environment but putting our flora and fauna in grave danger of eradication. When fires go through an area where there is a huge build-up of fuel there is nowhere for the koalas or possums to climb or the wombats or lizards to escape to. We have no control over the weather or the topography of the land. We have control over only one thing: hazard reduction, or cool fire burn-offs—a practice followed by the Aborigines for 40,000 years. My sympathy, my sorrow and my full support go to the poor families and communities in Victoria. God bless them, and may those we have lost rest in peace.

Pursuant to resolution business interrupted and set down as an order of the day for a future day.