Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I commend the previous speakers and of course the motion. This is unquestionably Australia’s worst natural disaster. On current count, 107 lives have been lost but, as the Deputy Prime Minister indicated, regrettably that figure is likely to go higher. While it is truly a national disaster, it is unquestionably a personal tragedy for so many Australians.

My family, like that of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, was affected by bushfire, in my case in 1994. As for so many Australians, I would think, these events have rekindled memories of the distress of that occasion. I can remember the fire moving literally at the speed of the wind across the Georges River. I can remember the young police officer trundling around—and sprinting around at the later stages—to get people out of their homes. I can remember returning home, with the lack of knowledge as to whether the house had survived, and seeing a neighbour whom I had never met before and have never seen since tipping buckets of water from the neighbour’s pool over fire surrounding the house. Unquestionably, that neighbour saved our home. Quite clearly, there are thousands and thousands of that neighbour around Australia and their experiences have been told and will be told.

As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition also indicated, many, many lives will never be the same again, particularly for those who have suffered the loss of a loved one. While we in this parliament can only acknowledge and identify with as best we can the suffering that has occurred, what we can do is commit to working together to assist the thousands of people and their families and communities to rebuild. As the Leader of the Opposition said, whatever it takes is what we are committed to.

Could I acknowledge the many messages of condolence from governments overseas and offers of assistance. The Victorian people should be aware of the intensity and depth of support for them. I also indicate our support and appreciation for the professionals in our volunteer services and, obviously, the volunteers themselves.

The government has taken immediate steps, as any government would, by establishing a $10 million emergency relief fund. But, as has been indicated, there will be much work to do in the rehabilitation ahead. The federal and state governments have also donated $4 million towards the official Victorian disaster relief appeal and, as has been indicated, Australians wanting to contribute to that appeal can do so by contacting the Red Cross. It has also been acknowledged by the Treasurer that there are private funds, notably from the National Australia Bank and the Bendigo Bank, that people are also able to contribute to.

In addition to the payments that were outlined by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Treasurer, there are payments available for individuals and businesses, including farms, that have been affected by the disaster, as well as assistance for emergency accommodation. That is available on the same contact number that was provided by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Treasurer.

The work of organisations such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army is outstanding, and the government has provided some additional assistance to enable them to continue that excellent work. As has also been acknowledged during the debate, the work of volunteer organisations around the state has been outstanding. The government has brought forward funding of some $2.6 million to assist those 160, at our count, emergency relief organisations who may need assistance in the short term, and they should not hesitate to call upon that.

Also in distress are the numbers of people who have not yet been able to make contact with their loved ones. In that context we would encourage all those who have been displaced to either contact the emergency relief agencies that are on the ground or phone 1800 727 033. Equally, anyone wanting to know the whereabouts of a friend or loved one is entitled to contact that number.

As has been pointed out, while we are obviously already focusing on the relief and recovery arrangements, the fires are still being fought by dedicated professionals and volunteers. We acknowledge their courage and tirelessness and appropriately, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition indicated, the support that they have from their families. They have quite clearly prioritised the safety of the community over and above their own personal circumstances. Indeed, one of the more tragic stories is of volunteer firefighters who, on at least two occasions, have unfortunately lost loved ones who were left behind.

Details of the Victorian Country Fire Authority and numbers for contacting the authority should anyone be concerned about further developments or ongoing fire risks have already been given, and I will not repeat those.

I would, as I indicated the other day, express tremendous appreciation and admiration for the work of Emergency Management Australia. They are one of those organisations who are not to the forefront but behind the scenes. The Leader of the Opposition also received a briefing from them yesterday. They are doing an outstanding job in coordinating a whole-of-government response within federal agencies and across state agencies.

Appreciation has appropriately been expressed to the Australian defence forces, who have had representatives embedded in that structure. The fact that we have been able to obtain so many resources from the Australian defence forces has meant that we have not experienced the delay of acquiring those resources from private sources. In addition, the defence forces have contributed permanent personnel and a great number of reservists to assist in erecting tents and setting up stretchers and the like.

As has also been indicated today, the Australian defence forces have contributed expertise in search and rescue capability. Those soldiers will be self-contained. They will be able to travel far and wide to more remote communities to search for any person who may need assistance or, regrettably, to find if someone has lost their lives. As well, the fact that we are able to use defence aircraft for imagery will enable work to commence quickly on the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure that will be very important for getting the states on the road.

I should again also indicate our appreciation. Necessarily, an event such as this calls on the first responders, who are essentially state agencies, but it also demonstrates that this is truly a national crisis. It has been received as such, and I commend those volunteers who have come in from other states to support Victorian firefighters. While this is unquestionably a national disaster, it is a personal tragedy for so many Victorians, our fellow Australians, and I acknowledge that it is being treated as such by the authorities nationally and in the state.

I commend the Victorian Police Commissioner, who is clearly treating each individual loss of life with dignity, respect and resolve. She has indicated that she is regarding each fire as a potential crime scheme and that she will ensure that the full weight of the law is brought down on those who may have been responsible for deliberately lighting those fires. I also express our appreciation to the Australian Federal Police, who have contributed some 90 experts in victim identification and forensics to assist in that law enforcement operation. On a serious note, I say—and I know this is heartfelt across the chamber—that anyone who lights fires deliberately, with reckless disregard for the safety of their fellow Australians, in our view, establishes the requisite criminal intent that would sustain a charge of murder.

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