Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to offer my sincere condolences as part of this parliament's effort to commemorate the memory of the people who have perished in these dreadful bushfires. As we went to Christmas, I think it was very clear to everyone that it was going to be a very tough traditional summer period—and it certainly was, with the level of death and destruction really unprecedented. The loss of loved ones as well as the loss of wildlife and the loss of livelihoods comes on top of a crippling drought throughout much of eastern Australia. It has been a truly dreadful summer period, and it has been very hard to focus on anything other than what has been happening to people where they have seen their whole lives lost to these dreadful fires.

One of the good things, perhaps the only good thing, that has come out of this dreadful period has been much wider community awareness about the importance and the value of volunteerism in our communities. We would have lost so many more people if it weren't for the culture of volunteerism which we see throughout the eastern states that have been particularly affected by these fires. In my home state, the RFS have made a very significant sacrifice and we thank them for that very much. The community has rallied very much behind the people that have been affected. I have to say that I've been blown away by the generosity of the community and the coordination of campaigns to support people. Whether it's been through the Bondi surf club, or Northbridge or Mums of the Shire, they have rallied to support people across the state and across the country.

I also wanted to say that I do think that the business sector, in many ways, have stepped up. They're often criticised, and I think they have helped a lot. I know that Jennifer Westacott and the Business Council of Australia have established a trust to support the children of the firefighters that have perished, which I think is a very, very good thing. There have also been campaigns to try to support the businesses that are untouched by fires and are desperate for people to go and visit their areas or to use their produce. The Empty Esky group has been a very positive step. I also wanted to mention that there have been extraordinary outpourings of support from multicultural communities throughout our country and also very significant offers of assistance from abroad.

But, most importantly, this has been a very important and sombre opportunity for us to commemorate the memories of the people that have perished. In particular, we remember the firefighters who were volunteers. I particularly reflect upon the three young men from the RFS in New South Wales that have perished. They had, frankly, very similar family circumstances to what I have. Young children, some not yet born, will have to live their lives without their fathers. As so many of my colleagues across the aisle have remarked tonight, these kids will grow up knowing that their fathers made the ultimate sacrifice in the protection of our community and that their deaths were not in vain, because so many more people have been able to live because of the culture of those organisations and because of their sacrifice. So, again, I offer my sincere condolences on all those who have perished in these dreadful fires.