Kerry Bartlett (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Attorney-General. Would the Attorney-General inform the House how the government is fulfilling—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Chief Government Whip will resume his seat.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: the Leader of the Opposition has again made a comment which demeans the dignity of the parliament, and I think he should withdraw it.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The chair did not hear it, but I call the Leader of the Opposition.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I will let you judge it because of the remarks you made earlier today. Recollect the description of me that he has been using and, of course, I described him as an ‘ignorant twit’. That has generally been accepted as parliamentary, but we will see. I will accept your verdict.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The comments may not be very edifying, but I do not rule them as unparliamentary.

Kerry Bartlett (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the Attorney-General inform the House how the government is fulfilling its election commitment to support local governments and volunteer organisations involved in emergency services, including those in my electorate of Macquarie?

Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to be able to confirm that the government has delivered on its promise to fund new projects under the Working Together to Manage Emergencies initiative. In relation to the assiduous work of the member for Macquarie, who is very much aware of the significant risks that bushfire in particular poses to a community close to our urban centres, the Hawkesbury City Council received more than $25,000 to replace the bulk water storage facility used by its Rural Fire Service, and that I think is a very important initiative for the electorate of Macquarie.

I might also note that the electorate of Macquarie received about $150,000 in the previous funding round for local councils and rural fire services. I was pleased to see amongst those a grant for Mount Wilson, a place I had the pleasure of visiting in my youth and know well. This initiative involves a collaborative approach with communities—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to see how interested the opposition is in these matters that might impact upon their electorates! We have funded in the order of 365 new projects valued at $13.1 million under this program. They cover rural, remote and urban electorates across Australia. They help communities with emergency water storage, developing emergency response plans, flood mitigation, training equipment for rural fire brigades and the installation of emergency lighting at regional airstrips as well as the purchase of satellite phones.

Volunteers in all of our electorates play a vital role in assisting in emergencies and disasters. This is the second full year of funding under this initiative. There has been overwhelming support from the emergency services area. I might remind members—particularly members of the opposition, who do not seem very concerned about these matters—that applications for the next funding round will open in December, and members who are assiduous in representing the interests of their electorates may well be able to follow up on those.