Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Justice and Public Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to the concern expressed by school principals in my electorate about the quality of their bushfire refuges and their belief that the proposed upgrades will be insufficient. I further refer the Prime Minister to my unanswered letter to him of 16 June 2009 regarding the immediate need for the highest quality fire refuges for schools in the Dandenong Ranges. Will the Prime Minister assure the House that he will intervene to ensure that fire refuge shelters in schools will be upgraded to the highest standard before the beginning of the fire season?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. Firstly, I draw the honourable member’s attention to the recently released interim report by the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. I also draw the honourable member’s attention to the recommendations contained within that report requiring further action by the federal government. I further draw the honourable member’s attention to the response provided to those recommendations. Secondly, on the specific matter which the honourable member has raised, can I say to him, as I have said in the past to the member for McMillan, the member for McEwen and other members from the bushfire affected areas, if there are particular local concerns which those members wish me to attend to then I will seek to do so based on their individual representations to me and to my office. Thirdly, I refer to the honourable member’s correspondence. I will now investigate what has happened in response to his correspondence, and I am happy to take it up individually with the member as he has suggested in the House.

Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Justice and Public Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to table the letter.

Leave granted.