Mike Freelander (Macarthur, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Over the last few years our nation has certainly seen its fair share of troubles, with increasing numbers of bushfires and floods and with the pandemic and other emergencies. These events have really tested our nation, yet through it all, our emergency services personnel continue to turn up and get our communities through these very dark times. We are facing continuing issues with flooding in the eastern states. We know that with the onset of summer we will be facing bushfires, yet again and again, our first responders will turn-up. As the member for Riverina mentioned, they run to disasters, not away from them. It takes a very special person to commit their lives to giving back to their communities in this way.

I've worked with many first responders over many years and seen the way in which they turn up to the most stressful events. They get people through. They do their best. They put up with the most terrible emergencies—damaged bodies, death, loss of limbs, loss of major organs—and yet they turn up again and again. This of course can have severe implications on their mental health. So I very much welcome our government's funding commitment of $10 million to Fortem Australia to provide support for the ongoing mental health issues of our first responders who need it. They are our top priority. I am very grateful to be a member of the Albanese Labor government, which turns up time and time again to support people during disasters.

I'm a little concerned that the motion of the member for McPherson is a little critical, because she was in government with the Morrison government, which was always there for the photo opportunity but never there with support. I am concerned that the member for MacPherson can be so superficially critical of the Albanese government, because we turn-up, we provide funding, we support people and we are there every time. I will dispel a myth that the very outset. The former minister may claim that she and the previous government provided funding for Fortem, but that is untrue. The Liberals announced funding for Fortem as part of their last budget, but they never sought to pass the appropriate appropriation bills containing the funding measures for it. They had the opportunity to do so and they chose not to. So the money never actually existed. It is another myth from a failed government. It takes some gall for those opposite to lecture us about showing up for first responders, given the last Prime Minister chose to holiday in Hawaii during the Black Summer bushfires. The Liberals played politics with Fortem around their funding, but they failed to deliver, of course. It was the worst type of cynical politics from those opposite. It continues, and one really does wonder about their motives.

The Albanese government continues to provide psychological support and support by being there and turning up. The Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt, epitomises the view of our government. We turn-up and we do things. We carry through on what we say. We are providing psychological support. We are providing GP support. We are providing mental health support for all those who need it. We support our first responders. We stand side by side with them. The work of the first responders is vital, and we will turn up for them every time. I am very proud and thankful for Macarthur's first responders, including the Campbelltown and Camden police, our paramedics, medical personnel from Camden and Campbelltown hospitals, Fire and Rescue NSW, as well as our local rural fire service and SES units. I have been to the control centre at Picton and I saw how they worked during the bushfires in 2020. I have been there and I have seen how they support everyone in our community, and I continue to support them.

Unfortunately, we lost two volunteer firefighters, Geoffrey Keaton and Andrew O'Dwyer, during the 2019 and 2020 bushfires in Buxton. I will remember them. These two outstanding men were local fathers and leaders, and I am very grateful for them. (Time expired)

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