Joanna Gash (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is difficult to find the right words to express the disbelief and horror at the bushfires that wrought havoc through Victoria this last week. So many lives have been lost. So many survivors will have to live with the emotional and physical scarring of what is surely an event of unprecedented magnitude. Watching the footage on television brought back to me the memories of the bushfires we had in the Shoalhaven—we live in a very high-fire prone area; in fact, 65 per cent of our land mass is crown or National Parks and Wildlife land. As significant as the fires were when they occurred in 2000 and 2001, they pale into virtual insignificance in comparison with this latest devastation by fire. The word ‘holocaust’ springs to mind. At the time of the Shoalhaven fires I was working in the fire control centre in Nowra, so I have some appreciation of what people went through then and now. Luckily, we lost no lives, but the trauma during the event and the after-effects were all too real.

I offer my sincerest condolences to the families and friends of those who perished. I hope to God that I and anyone I cherish are never put in that position. The ever-escalating list of victims being broadcast and reported is reminiscent of a casualty list from a war in some far-off land. The television footage, the imagery, the words spoken will never convey what it was like for those who went through it. I looked at the faces of the survivors on television. Some had the vacant stare of those with shellshock, completely numbed by their experiences, their minds not yet fully registering the enormity of the event; others were weeping openly from the shock; yet others were angry and wanting to strike out; some could even find something to joke about. Indeed, it is beyond comprehension for anyone who was not caught up in it, like some sort of bad dream.

I would like to pay a special tribute to the firefighters, the volunteers who are out there in the most extreme of conditions and giving it their all. In the weeks and months ahead there will be stories emerging of heroism and sacrifice. One virtue will be that any individual episode of heroism will not be eclipsed by another, and every act will be accorded the honest recognition it warrants. To those who will have to work with the survivors I say: the compassion and care you show will be critical for these people to make as full a recovery as they can. Even then, they will not be able to eradicate the memory. For many, their idyllic rural setting turned into a hell. They will be going through varying degrees of emotion as they tackle the grieving process. I pray to God they all come out of it. We must do all we can to assist in that process. We can replace the material losses, and the speed with which we do that will go a long way to bringing these people back to normality.

I would also like to commend the media on the quality and sensitivity of their reporting. They have within their capacity the ability to colour the atmosphere or exploit the story-line. This did not happen. Instead, without exception, each journalist was honest and compassionate. I think this will contribute greatly to the feeling that we are all in this together. The eloquence in expression may have been varied between reporters but the sincerity and honesty was uniform, such was the impact of what they were witnessing and what was unfolding before their eyes.

Perhaps it will be someone else’s turn next year, because that is the reality of the continent and the times that we share. While tragic, we should draw from this experience and learn to work together as a community and as a nation, because once again we are being called upon to rise to the occasion as we have done in previous times and to pull together as Australians have done in past tragedies. But for the moment our thoughts are with our Victorian neighbours, as are my thoughts with the members of parliament who cover these electorates. People will remember this catastrophe for many years to come. We can all draw some solace from the event in that crisis works to bring us together in a common bond. It will make us stronger. But now let us pause a moment to remember, to share the grief, and then let us get on with the task of repairing and healing.

I would like to thank all those who made their heartfelt speeches in the parliament yesterday and today. They were sincere and they went across the political divide. It made me proud indeed to see the unity that exists at this terrible time for these families who have lost all. I know we have all bonded together and we will do all we can to do what it takes to rebuild not only towns and villages but the lives of those who have survived.

Australians are the most compassionate people in the world, as has been shown on so many occasions. Already in my electorate of Gilmore donations of all kinds are forthcoming. Even my office staff said today they have arranged a sausage sizzle with the assistance of Woolworths to raise funds. It might not seem much but, as they said, ‘Jo, we have to do something,’ and do something we all will.

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