Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, access to foreign heavy firefighting aircraft is now problematic, as the Northern and Southern Hemisphere fire seasons overlap because of climate change, while domestic resources are stretched to fight simultaneous fires across Australia. Despite this, my repeated calls for a specialised RAAF capability have been dismissed by the government every time. The reality is that aid to the civil community is an accepted use of ADF assets and existing RAAF aircraft, like the C-17 Globemaster, the C-130 Hercules and the C-27 Spartan, could all deploy roll-on, roll-off tank systems for water bombing. Prime Minister, as the country deals with a shocking bushfire season, will you now direct Defence to develop a heavy firefighting aircraft capability?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question and his concern about all Australians who have been suffering under these fires, and their terrible losses. I know he would join with me in thanking all those Australians who have been out there volunteering, supporting in so many ways not just those on the fire grounds themselves but also those who are supporting back at base—those who are providing catering and support in so many other functions. I also thank all the businesses that have been supporting all those volunteers out there, who have enabled them to come to the support of their fellow Australians. I also thank the men and women of our Australian Defence Force, who have also been very much engaged in the most recent fires that we've seen, as they always are. They form an important part of the various support and logistics and uplifts and other matters that they are involved in, using their special expertise. The government takes its advice on the matters that you've raised from the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council. That represents the fire and emergency service chiefs, who have told the government that engaging the ADF in support and capability enhancement that would take it away from direct firefighting is supported.

I will, as the minister responsible in this area, respond further to you on these matters, but I want to assure you that whatever decisions the government takes are taken on the basis of the advice of those fire chiefs. They recommend to us what assets should be used, where those assets should come from, how many there should be and how they should be deployed. These are matters that are responded to directly by our state and territory governments, and they've been doing an extraordinary job. I think the coordinated effort between federal, state and local agencies in these recent fires has been exemplary, and part of the reason for that has been the outstanding work done by the Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council. We will continue to take their advice and we'll continue to support their recommendations. I will ask the minister to add to that.

David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. I respectfully don't agree that the access to fire and heavy firefighting equipment is problematic at the moment. I say that because only in the last three weeks I wrote to AFAC, the chief council that represents fire commissioners, and they assured me in writing that at the moment there are suitable assets. But they do make the point that, if the season is protracted, we will have to be agile enough to work with them. That is a commitment our government has given to them.

They also, in that letter, outline the fact that they are comfortable with the arrangements we currently have with the Australian Defence Force and the support that they provide and the logistic support that they provide our firefighters. In fact, I met with those former fire chiefs that raised some concerns only today, and I assured them that they should take comfort but great pride in the professional men and women who lead our fire agencies around this state and take great comfort that they are leading us through this season.