Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

In the inherent chaos of an emergency, there is one constant, reassuring presence that we can all rely on: the state emergency services. The volunteers who give up their time to respond to emergencies as members of the SES are often the first point of contact many people have when engulfed in the crisis unfolding around them. They are the first responders who help you fix your roof when storms rip the tiles from your house. They are often the first people you see in the aftermath of a car crash or supporting firefighters during an emergency evacuation. The SES are often the unsung heroes of an emergency: the traffic controllers and the sandbaggers. However, in regional communities, like much of my home state of Tasmania, they can be so much more.

Living in regional areas means the SES are often the first responders. They are trained in emergency response and often the first on the scene of so many critical incidents. Being a first responder in a small community carries its own set of mental risks, like the fear that you may know the person who is injured or whose house is in the direct line of a bushfire, which is why people who volunteer for the SES in small communities deserve recognition for the volunteer work that they do.

On that note, the Northern Midlands SES Unit, based in northern Tasmania, recently awarded six new life memberships of their organisation, and I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight their achievements and commitment to their communities. David Oakely, 82, is one of the founding members of the Northern Midlands SES Unit and is still an active member 37 years on. He said he remembers vividly the first time he was called upon to use the jaws of life to cut open a car that had crashed in the region. At that time, the jaws functioned like the pump on a blow-up mattress, and David remembers the urgency as he pumped the jaws to try to cut through the car and save the boy trapped in the back seat. But David's achievements didn't stop there. He and two other members who also received life membership, Graeme McGee and Bevis Perkins, successfully lobbied the Tasmanian government of the day to separate road rescue services from Ambulance Tasmania, making a positive impact to the services. The trio formed the Campbelltown SES and remained active members of the SES community. Graeme has served 25 years with the Northern Midlands SES, and Bevis served 27 years before he died in 2012.

While its important to celebrate their frontline work, I think it's equally important to celebrate the people who've been committed to the organisation's functioning—people like Hamish Wellard and Rob Thomas. The pair have given to the SES 17 and 15 years respectively, and both were awarded life memberships for their commitment to the growth of the SES unit. Hamish lives only 50 metres from the SES shed, so he's often the first to arrive. Hamish was also integral in building the minitruck mascot used for fundraising. Similarly, Rob secured a government grant to extend the shed facilities, both adding great value to their SES facilities. These examples are the type of work SES volunteers do every day without payment or recognition. They do it because it's the right thing to do for their communities.

While I have focused on the Northern Midlands SES Unit today, I want to acknowledge the work done by all SES volunteers across Tasmania and the country.

We should always remember the contribution SES volunteers make to our communities and how important they are to emergency management. Without them, the hard work of the first responders, firefighters, police and ambulance would be hugely diminished. Thank you to David, Graeme, Rob, Peter, Hamish and Bevis. But, more broadly, thank you to all SES volunteers across Australia. We can never repay you for the hard work and kindness you show to all of us who find ourselves in an emergency.