Stephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

When fires were menacing the outskirts of Gracemere, near Rockhampton, last week, a storm hit the Illawarra region, dumping more than 100 millimetres of rain across the region in a single day. It was confirmed as the wettest November day in New South Wales for well over 25 years. The storm brought flash flooding and gale-force winds. Across the state, SES crews attended to more than 1,000 jobs. Typically, State Emergency Service volunteers spend their time supporting the community in times of emergency. However, last week they were mourning the loss of one of their own. Billy Martin, from Albion Park, a Shellharbour unit member, died while selflessly serving the Illawarra community during last Wednesday's severe storm. He was with his crew at Flinders, removing a fallen tree, when he collapsed. Although CPR was administered, he could not be revived. Billy was only 39 years old, and he was a valued member of the SES Shellharbour unit. He was well loved by the unit and within his broader community. My thoughts, and I'm sure the thoughts of every member in this place, are with his family and friends as well as the wider tight-knit SES community, who in times of need put their lives on the line to ensure that we can all be safe.

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