Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—My thoughts and, I'm sure, the thoughts of all members of the House are with the family, friends and community of Mr Richard Mainey, who has passed away in Temagog. That's a place on the North Coast, and so the member for Cowper left parliament yesterday to be with his local community. This is a man who has unfortunately died trying to save his family farm from bushfires. We know that this spring and summer is going to be incredibly difficult for a number of our communities and may bring back memories of the awful Black Summer bushfires. That is why we recently hosted Australia's first ever National Disaster Preparedness Summit to prepare for the coming higher-risk weather season. We are concerned about what is approaching, and the National Emergency Management Agency is working with state and territory counterparts and local communities. Again, I urge all residents to listen to authorities and seek help if needed. The federal government will continue to work with all jurisdictions. I pay tribute as well to the extraordinary formal personnel, whose job it is, and also all those volunteers, who just do extraordinary work at this time. To Mr Mainey's family, friends, and community, we pay our deepest respects and our condolences at this very sad loss.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—On behalf of the coalition, we send our condolences to Mr Mainey's family and to his community. As the Prime Minister rightly points out, each bushfire season brings with it a new threat and the effort of individuals to protect their own property and driving machinery. Whether it's from being a part of a local rural fire brigade or part of a local SES, there is an inherent danger in adverse conditions, particularly given the urgency of the task undertaken and as the threat level elevates. In this terrible circumstance, a brave man has lost his life. We send our condolences to that community and also our best wishes to those who are seeking to contain the fires and the first responders who have the task, as we quite often remind ourselves in this chamber, of rushing toward danger when most other Australians are rushing the other way, from it. That is a particular skill that we should recognise and a level of bravery and decency that makes us the greatest country in the world. We should stop, pause and remember that in the run-up to the bushfire season this year and remember those who are facing a threat, as we speak, at this very moment.