Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Reynolds. Can the minister update the Senate on the devastating situation occurring in Perth right now, with the Wooroloo bushfire that's burning out of control in Perth's eastern suburbs?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator O'Sullivan for the question. A bushfire is burning at the emergency warning level in the shires of Mundaring, Chittering and Northam and the City of Swan, 27 kilometres north-east of Perth. It is an area I know well and love, as I know all Western Australian senators do. The bushfire remains uncontained and out of control. The Western Australian Department of Fire and Emergency Services has confirmed that at least 71 properties have been destroyed and the bushfire has so far burned over 9,000 hectares. I'm advised that no lives have been lost and no-one is yet unaccounted for. However, there remains the potential for wind changes, maintaining very unfavourable conditions. We urge everyone to stay aware of their surroundings and follow the advice from local emergency management authorities.

While weather conditions have been hampering firefighting efforts, our emergency services personnel are once again showing their professionalism, their dedication and their heroism in the face of these extreme conditions. On behalf of Minister Littleproud, on behalf of the federal government and I know on behalf of all senators in this place I thank everyone who is contributing and working so hard in the firefighting effort to protect these communities and to ensure that there is no loss of life. Our thoughts and our prayers are with the people of Western Australia and with all of our emergency services, and, most importantly and most sincerely, with all of those impacted by these horrific fires.

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister outline what federal support, including ADF assistance, has been made available to support WA authorities in relation to this threat?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian government has acted swiftly in support of the Western Australian government's response. The Australian Government Disaster Response Plan has been activated by Minister Littleproud. He's also activating Australian government disaster payments for those most affected in the Mundaring and Swan local government areas. Today, defence is supporting water-bombing operations from RAAF Base Pearce, which yesterday was in extreme danger, and they're assisting firefighters to move to the fire front. Defence will also fly additional fire retardant from RAAF Base Richmond to Western Australia.

Last year, defence completed a strategic review of Operation Bushfire Assist to ensure that our support to natural disaster was optimised. Consequential changes are now making it easier for defence to assist states and territories. I thank all senators who supported that—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Reynolds! Senator O'Sullivan, a final supplementary question?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister update the Senate on defence's assistance to WA authorities and their COVID-19 response as well?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As we are all aware, the Western Australia government is fighting not only a COVID-19 outbreak in Western Australia but also these fires. Yesterday, defence accepted a request for additional assistance to the WA government's COVID-19 response. This support is in addition to the 1,500 ADF personnel still deployed across the country supporting COVID-19 actions in all states and territories. This includes 150 who are currently working in Western Australia, so 50 additional staff will be based in Perth supporting the Western Australian police to conduct vehicle checkpoints in Perth, Peel and the South West region. Vehicle checkpoints are police led, with ADF providing marshalling and initial assessment of vehicles. This takes the total number of ADF members on task in Western Australia to 200, which includes 93 personnel who are still supporting quarantine compliance measures in seven hotels—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Reynolds! Senator Lines.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to associate myself and, indeed, all of my Labor colleagues, particularly my Western Australian Labor colleagues, with the comments that were just made by the minister, and to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Obviously we concur with the thanks to the emergency service workers. Like Senator Reynolds, I have many friends who live in the area. It's an area of Perth where you have acreage that meets the outer suburban areas. In fact, a former staff member of mine, Rhys, was evacuated two nights ago at 2 am.

I want to acknowledge the huge kindness and generosity of the Perth community. There are all sorts of offers of help, as you can imagine. Being an area of acreage, there are prized horses and other livestock, which people all over the metro area are offering to agist. There are free meals being delivered. Just as we saw the Sikh community in the eastern states respond to the fire emergency, the Sikh community in Bennett Springs, a suburb that's likely to be threatened, are also out there working. That generosity, I'm sure, makes all of us as Western Australians very proud. I thank the minister for the response that the federal government has given.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to associate the Greens with the minister's comments and to make some very brief comments as well.

Leave granted.

I thank the minister and the government for the response. Every Western Australian member in the other place has friends and family that live in the hills area and the fire affected area, as do senators. I myself certainly do. The Greens are very thankful for the response from the federal government. We wish well all the emergency personnel and those people that are currently fighting the fire and defending people's homes and lives. Our hearts go out to everyone that is affected by this current disaster, given the particular circumstances that Western Australia and the Perth metropolitan area are facing at the moment with the double impact of the COVID lockdown. It is a very stressful time at home in Western Australia, and I thank the government for the response that they are making.