Daryl Melham (Banks, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the condolence motion before the Main Committee. Next month, I will have celebrated 18 years in this place. On a number of occasions, the House has come together. This is probably the most momentous of those times, given the vastness of what has happened and the human tragedy that is unfolding and will continue to unfold through this. I think the people of Australia would expect us to come together as one to offer solutions, not play politics.

The speech of Russell Broadbent in the House today is one of the finest that I have been able to hear in all my time in this place, a speech from the heart, a speech that I think both sides were moved by. The spontaneous applause by members at the end of that speech is something that I have not witnessed, apart from at the end of first speeches. It was spontaneous because I think it was a speech that captured the spirit of the moment. Russell represented his constituents and how they were feeling and placed before the Parliament of Australia, fairly and squarely, the views of his constituents and the way forward. His was not the only speech—I think each of the speeches in its own right was unique and added to the occasion.

I have already had volunteers putting their names forward wanting to go down to provide assistance through the trades that they specialise in. The clubs movement in New South Wales has already begun a fundraising event, and I know that the club of which I am vice-president, Revesby Workers Club, has put in $10,000. That is a small amount, but it all adds up, and that will obviously be added to in the future.

I think the way we have come together is very important because in some respects it will help those communities with the healing that needs to be done. It is very important to look after not just people’s physical wellbeing but also their spiritual wellbeing. I think when people see politicians from both sides—the Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister—come together that sends the right signal. I think we also need to sit down in the future and look at ways to try and minimise the risk of this happening again. I know that some years ago, when fires raged through Madam Deputy Speaker Vale’s electorate of Hughes, the workers club was a safe haven for people who had been displaced, and it has also been a safe haven in other instances, such as when there have been storms. So this is a recurring feature in our country because of the nature of our country—floods and fires will be ongoing and continuing factors. I want to commend everyone on the way they have come together. But this has a long way to play out.

I suppose the only note of caution I will add—putting on my lawyer’s hat here, not my politician’s hat—is that we need to be careful about inflammatory language that might be used in this discussion. People will face trial and people are entitled to a fair trial, to be dealt with on the facts and not to be prejudged. I can understand the emotion of some people who are saying certain things, but as politicians we need to be careful to remain at arm’s length and not to undermine other institutions that have to deal with these matters in an appropriate way. So I add that note of caution, speaking not as a politician but as a lawyer, in relation to how these matters will eventually be dealt with. People will be dealt with. Let them be judged on the facts and on the evidence placed before the courts, and on the charges that the relevant authorities deem necessary to lay, not on what politicians say the charges should be. We lay down the statutes, and people are dealt with at a federal or a state level. So I just add that cautionary note, and I also repeat that the way we have come together over this is a very important part of the healing process and of the rebuilding process. What needs to be done, as has been said by the Leader of the Opposition, is whatever it takes to help these families rebuild into the future.

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