Sophie Mirabella (Indi, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As we grieve the recent flood tragedies, it is appropriate to reflect on the tragic events of 7 February 2009, when a series of bushfires swept across the state of Victoria, burning over 450,000 hectares and taking the lives of 173 people. The unspeakable horror that tore through communities was life changing for many and will continue to haunt the memories and the lives of those who were touched by the disaster for many years to come. It is important that we do not forget those who are still suffering and that we remember the hardship that families have been through. In my electorate of Indi, we remember the deaths of John and Sue Wilson who, like so many residents of north-east Victoria, stayed to defend their home, in Mudgegonga. To their children, Grace and Samantha: we know it still hurts and we will not forget the tragic loss of your parents.

The flooding events of this summer and the fires that have been witnessed in Western Australia this week remind us that we do indeed live in a nation of extremes where floods and fires are unfortunately the norm. We are also a nation of extreme generosity and selflessness and it is these qualities that should and do make us all so proud to be Australians—from the emergency services personnel, to service clubs and their volunteers, to a helpful neighbour who helps their community member or even a stranger, to all those people who dropped everything to do something for people they did not even know. That is what makes us a truly lucky nation.

I am talking about people like brave local police officer Cameron Caine, who is still part of the Kinglake community and still working below the radar helping to rebuild a scarred and wounded community. People like Lesley Bebbington and Vicky Mann are just two examples of this unique Australian spirit. Using their own funds they started a much needed youth group and their local leadership and big hearts have made an enormous difference to local young people in the Kinglake area. The impact on children and young people appears to have gone under the radar. They have watched their parents and other adults try and cope with the trauma. Some unfortunately have turned to alcohol and medicated drugs and some young people are sadly doing the same while some are coping through self-harm.

We need to face the raw human tragedy that is still reverberating in these affected communities. Much good work has been done since the Black Saturday fires, but there is so much more to do. It is extremely important that a royal commission was established, but even more important is the adoption of the commission’s recommendations. It is a natural human instinct to feel our neighbours’ pain. The test for politicians is to be driven by that empathy to make tangible improvements long after the cameras have left and front-page stories have gone. Numerous inquiries in the seven years leading up to 2009 fires were ignored, and this cannot happen again. We have seen the previous state Labor government dismiss previous inquiries and recommendations, and this cannot be allowed to happen again.

I am buoyed by the election of a new government and encouraged by the words of the new Victorian Premier with his commitment to real recovery and to adopting each and every recommendation from the bushfires royal commission. I ask the federal government to support him in every way in this objective and to remain committed to the rebuilding effort in Victoria. Lessons are always relearned rather than learned, and inquiries and their recommendations seem to be deferred until obscured by the passage of time. Let us not let that happen again.

We have many issues. Only 41 per cent of principal places of residence that were burnt down are in the process of being replaced. We see many families struggling through the planning process because the bushfire attack level regulations make it very difficult to build a new home. There are still telecommunications black holes that are hampering the delivery of vital information to bushfire-prone areas, hamlets and towns across Victoria, and it is not new; we have heard about telecommunications problems in the past. I spoke today with a local from Kinglake who advised me that Kinglake and Kinglake West CFAs still cannot communicate with each other. This is not good enough, and we need to be able to ensure that these issues are remedied, that there is adequate fire mitigation and preparation and that we continue to rebuild these communities and not forget them. (Time expired)