Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday I was shocked to learn of a tragic fire in the early hours at Nelson Bay which claimed the life of a young child and which injured her grandmother who heroically tried to save the toddler. That tragedy has further evolved for me in the realisation that it has occurred to an Austral Street family who have been personally known to me for about eight years.

It is beyond any doubt that our community is devastated by the death of two-year-old Taya Gibson. Julie Gibson, Taya’s grandmother, tried fighting the inferno to rescue her two-year-old granddaughter but was pushed back by the flames. As a result of her actions, Julie suffered smoke inhalation and minor burns across her face, hands and head. She was taken to the John Hunter Hospital.

I thank God that Julie was able to get her two other grandchildren and her two teenage children to safety. I have known Neil ‘Tubby’ Tarrant and Julie Gibson for about eight years. My son David played rugby alongside their young son Blaire in the Nelson Bay Junior Rugby League team. Tubby was the coach—an absolutely inspirational figure who always saw and brought out the best in young kids—and Julie was always in the canteen working for the kids and for their community. They are a couple committed to kids and to our community. I understand that 17-year-old Blaire also tried to courageously enter the house to rescue his niece, but the flames were so intense that nothing could be done. The flames were so fierce that even the trained fire crews were repelled from entering the building three times by the flames.

Life has not been kind to the family. Tubby is suffering from cancer and was recovering from his latest dose of chemotherapy for an advanced case of throat cancer. He also suffered smoke inhalation. Tubby underwent emergency surgery yesterday afternoon, and our prayers and best wishes are with him. The reason the three grandchildren were with Julie and Tubby is that Taya’s parents were at Westmead Children’s Hospital with their youngest daughter, aged 10 months, who is in intensive care after a liver transplant.

Ours is a very tight-knit community, and we are rallying around to support the family. Matt Bliss informed me this morning that an appeal has begun to help the family with clothes and furniture. The staff from the Epitome of Hair salon and the Nelson Bay PCYC are collecting cash, furniture and other items to help out. I have spoken to a close mutual friend this morning, Alfie Patane, who was helping to coordinate a consolidated effort for the family. Offers of support are rapidly forthcoming. I am sure that in a very short period of time our community will help to ease the pain just a little.

As yet, the exact cause of the fire is unknown, but this tragedy is a clear reminder to our community that, during the winter period in particular, people need to take care of home fire hazards. I can only agree with NSW Fire Brigade Superintendent Greg Adams who has urged people to have an evacuation plan and to know what to do in case of a fire. It is important that we be proactive: that we do not cover heating appliances, that we make sure that electrical appliances are not overloaded and that we ensure that smoke alarms are not only installed but working.

Today I also praise the brave efforts of our firefighters who tried in vain to rescue young Taya. As the firefighters entered the burning building with breathing apparatus to look for her, the roof and walls began to collapse. The fire took almost an hour to contain.

To Tubby, Julie and the family, I offer my sincere condolences. Rest assured that our community’s prayers are with you at this time of need.