Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This week is Bushfire Action Week, when we remind all South Australians to prepare for the fire danger season by knowing the risks, preparing their properties and knowing how to stay informed. I appeal to the thousands of my constituents who live in areas of bushfire danger to do something rather than nothing and to recognise it is not that hard to be bushfire ready.

Local residents will soon be receiving my bushfire action plan checklist in their mailbox and I encourage them to put it on the fridge as a reminder both that they need a comprehensive bushfire plan and of specific local issues the Sturt CFS brigade has flagged. I would also like to urge locals to support the efforts of Sturt CFS to raise funds for a second water tanker. One tanker is not adequate for their needs and their primary goal is to protect local residents from the danger of bushfires.

The community has so far dug deep and raised $180,000 for a second tanker, with $70,000 to go. For the residents of Davenport and Fisher, election day will be collection day—an opportunity for the community to do what they do every election day and that is give generously to the CFS. I know the state Labor government's recent massive increase in the emergency services levy has upset a lot of local residents. There has been strong community backlash and people have said to me they think the increased levy should pay for the tanker.

The simple fact is the CFS is not receiving the extra money from the levy increase. The only way our local area is going to get this vehicle is if we fund it ourselves. (Time expired)