Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That, for the sittings of 11 nd 12 February 2009, so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent:

(1)

the report from the Main Committee relating to the condolence motion on Victorian bushfires being considered at 2 p.m. and for debate on the motion to ensue;

(2)

the debate being adjourned to a later hour and the matter standing referred to the Main Committee for further consideration; and

(3)

for the remainder of these sitting, orders of the day, government business, having precedence.

This motion is a result of discussions between the government and the opposition, and there is a consensus that this is the appropriate way for the parliament to proceed today and tomorrow. Therefore, question time will not proceed over these two days. For the benefit of members, it is intended that at 2 pm the member for Gippsland and the member for Indi will deliver their contributions on the motion of condolence on the Victoria bushfires. Should any other member from affected electorates return to Canberra either today or tomorrow, they would be given the appropriate precedence to make a contribution in this main chamber, as—might I say on behalf of all members—the three members did in such an outstanding fashion yesterday.

Following the updates to the House regarding the bushfires, the member for Kennedy and the member for Dawson will update the House with regard to the impact that the floods have had on their electorates in Northern Queensland. The Prime Minister will then update the House on the relief efforts. The Leader of the Opposition and the Minister for Defence, who has returned from Victoria, will also update the House. The House will then resume government business.

Today, the House has again awoken to more stories of horror from the Victorian bushfires. The official death toll has risen to 181 and the nation must brace itself for further bad news. All the experts say it is likely to rise, perhaps significantly. As we confront the biggest natural disaster in our history, it is appropriate that the House respond accordingly. May I say on behalf of the parliament that the response from across the nation has been as we would expect—overwhelming. Financial donations already stand at over $33 million and I am sure that all Australians will continue to show the nature of their character—which is, at times such as these, to dig deep to help their fellow Australians.

The government and, indeed, the parliament stand shoulder to shoulder with the affected communities in Victoria. As the Prime Minister has outlined, we have deliberately made the decision to place no cap on the Commonwealth’s contribution to the recovery and reconstruction effort. That is a position supported in a bipartisan fashion by this parliament. The government and, indeed, the parliament will be partners for the long term in the rebuilding of each of these communities. I thank very much the Manager of Opposition Business and the Leader of the Opposition for the cooperative way in which they have conducted themselves in terms of ensuring that we are able to resolve the procedural way forward in a way, I think, that all of us in this parliament would agree with. I note the email sent out by the Speaker to all members yesterday, which reflected the fact that the Australian public think also very much that this is an appropriate way to act, and I am sure the Manager of Opposition Business will support this motion.

See this speech in context