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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I have repeatedly called for the RAAF to use roll-on roll-off firefighting tank systems. For example, the US MAFFS system for C-130 Hercules aircraft is available, affordable and quickly deployed. In fact, this idea has now been embraced by the New South Wales government, which has accepted all 76 recommendations from the bushfire inquiry established after Australia's black summer, including that the Commonwealth work with the New South Wales Rural Fire Service to assess the feasibility of equipping our Hercules with such technology. So my questions to you, Prime Minister, are: does your government support this important recommendation? And will you direct the Air Force to immediately implement it?

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

I thank the member for his question. I will ask the minister responsible to reply on behalf of the government.

David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question and his interest in this topic. It's important that we all understand that we have a nationally coordinated approach to the determination of the type of aircraft that is bought in this country for bushfires. That is determined by the experts, the fire commissioners from around the country, in terms of the suite of aircraft and the quantity that is required.

The federal government has invested just under $26 million a year that will be indexed into the standing costs of those aircraft, to be there ready to go and any calls notice. But, effectively, it's important that we listen to the experts and the professionals and not politicians.