Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise today to speak on the condolence motion relating to these horrific fires that have affected so many regions right across Australia. Over the past weeks and months, we've seen so much of our nation impacted by these horrific, devastating fires. Tragically, 33 people have lost their lives, thousands have lost their homes and tens of thousands of properties have been destroyed. Our thoughts of course are with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives, including the nine firefighters who died whilst working to keep others safe. These losses are truly tragic and heartbreaking.

I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have bravely fought and continue to fight these fires right across the country: thanks so much to them. I'd like to acknowledge the remarkable efforts of the Rural Fire Service and the emergency services personnel, including those from the police, fire, ambulance services and the SES. Thanks also to the ADF personnel for their great assistance. I'd especially like to thank the RFS—all those incredible volunteers who have worked tirelessly to protect not only their own communities but so many other communities that they travelled to to assist as well. Thanks to these brave firefighters who put their lives on the line and continue to put their lives on the line to save other people's lives and property during the devastating bushfires right across the nation.

I was speaking with many of the RFS members in my area, many of whom have travelled throughout the state and elsewhere to help out. Thanks to all of them for their incredible work and dedication. The RFS across the New South Wales North Coast and, indeed, across the country have done a remarkable job, and it's important that we have this condolence motion to give us a chance to also note their courage, bravery and public service. I'd also especially like to thank and acknowledge the outstanding leadership and commitment of the NSW RFS commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, and the incredible work that he has been doing over the past months.

I'd also like to note the massive community support for those who have suffered and are suffering—so many people offering assistance to those who've lost so much. This community spirit has indeed been overwhelming across the state, across the nation and even across the world, with some of the very generous donations that are coming in. It is truly inspirational to see the extent of the community spirit and of people coming together to help one another.

Across New South Wales more than five million hectares have burned during this unprecedented fire season. The latest figures from the NSW Rural Fire Service show that 2,400 homes have been destroyed, with 10,000 buildings impacted. In my electorate of Richmond there was minimal damage to property compared to many other areas, but across the entire New South Wales North Coast over 125,000 hectares were burnt and over 800 homes were either destroyed or damaged. Early in the bushfire season, in my electorate of Richmond, the fires around Mount Nardi posed a very serious threat and did cause quite extensive damage. I thank all those involved who worked very hard to contain that fire—for many reasons, but particularly because of a major communications tower that we have on Mount Nardi.

Soon after this time, the opposition leader visited the North Coast. He—along with myself, the member for Page and the state member for Lismore—met with local RFS volunteers at a briefing at their headquarters in Casino. We then went on to meet with locals at the Nimbin Showground evacuation centre and listened to the stories of those who'd been severely affected by the impact of these fires. We later went on to meet with the Nimbin CWA. Of course, our CWA are always there to assist in any emergencies. They do an incredible job, I know, throughout my region and right throughout the country.

The fires we've seen this summer are unprecedented and have had such an extreme and devastating impact, with that tragic loss of life and loss of property. They've also had an extreme impact upon our precious forests, our wildlife and their habitats. In my region, the New South Wales North Coast, rainforests have burned for the very first time. This is truly heartbreaking and something we never thought could happen—that these rainforests would burn. It is horrendous.

I'd also like to acknowledge the recent visit to my electorate by the federal shadow minister for local government, the member for Blaxland, along with the New South Wales state shadow minister for local government, Greg Warren. We met with representatives from Tweed, Byron and Ballina councils to discuss the fire recovery grants and also future planning. We also met with members of the Mullumbimby RFS and thanked them for their extraordinary commitment and courage during this time.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to commend those at ABC Radio who've worked so incredibly hard to provide vital information right around the nation. I'd particularly like to thank my local ABC, ABC North Coast, whose journalists do an outstanding job. They provided bushfire updates and warnings to those fire-affected communities. I know many of them worked very, very long hours to ensure this information was provided.

We do need to look at lessons that need to be learnt and how we plan for the future. We must all work together to achieve that. We need to find practical measures towards a new strategy for disaster preparedness and for our capacity and ability to respond, because this is no longer business as usual. The destruction we've seen throughout this bushfire season is unprecedented in our country's history. We as a nation, particularly in light of this devastation, now need to seriously be looking at working together to tackle climate change. This is vitally important. We know, from scientific experts, that, due to climate change, extreme weather events will only increase in severity and frequency. This just cannot be delayed any further. We have to have action. Without a doubt, 2019 was an extremely tough year, with the ongoing drought and the horrific and devastating fires. We're now seeing these extreme weather patterns continuing into 2020, and the concern does continue.

In conclusion, our nation owes a massive debt to those who continue to risk everything to fight these fires and, again, I commend all of our emergency services and all of those in the RFS and those volunteers and organisations who provided assistance, keeping people safe over this very long and fierce fire season. For many, the fires may no longer be an immediate threat, but there are many challenges ahead for them. As these people and their communities try to rebuild, we have to ensure that they're provided with ongoing support and investment to those affected areas. It will take considerable time, and they need to have ongoing support, since the devastation of these fires has impacted them and also their communities.

See this speech in context