Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Ciccone, I hate to steal your thunder, but I'm actually going to add a few remarks this evening before we finish. I wish to pay tribute to the many, many volunteer firefighters in Western Australia who have spent the last week—or more, in some cases—fighting a number of bushfires across my home state, particularly in that part of Western Australia which I know so well: the south-west. There have been significant fires across the south-west, particularly in the electorate of O'Connor, which is the electorate of my good friend Rick Wilson. In particular there was a devastating fire around Wickepin which another one of my good friends, Steve Martin MLC, member of the upper house in Western Australia, was directly involved in fighting. Steve is one of the many, many volunteers who fought the Wickepin fire. His brigade—the wonderfully country-named 10 Mile to 86 Gate Brigade—spent the night battling a terrific blaze. The words Steve said to me were: 'I don't want to fight another fire like that.' Brigades came from all around the local area from Cuballing, Narrogin, Wickepin, Yealering, Harrismith, Dumbleyung, Wagin, Highbury and Tincurrin. Volunteers, with the support of many professionals as well, did get the fire under control over a terrible night. But I think it's good to recognise the efforts of our volunteers, particularly our bush firefighting volunteers and the amazing efforts they put in every summer, so I would personally like to thank them all.

Senate adjourned at 21:34