Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

On indulgence:

As the recovery efforts are continuing, we are learning more about the scale of this disaster, and in a few moments I will provide the House with an update on the recovery efforts.

In these times there are also stories of the extraordinary heroism and courage of ordinary people as the destructive firestorm swept across Victoria on Saturday and Sunday. These are stories that simply take your breath away. Stories like that of CFA captain Barry Mapley, who with his crew came across a couple in a ute surrounded by fires in the Mudgegonga fire near Beechworth on Saturday. The couple, Amelia Coombes and Paul Mercieca were trying to get away from their house that was alight, while gas bottles from their welding shed were exploding one by one. Then Ms Coombes’s hair caught fire. She thought for sure she was going to die. But Barry and his crew drove up to them, turned on their hoses, and threw Ms Coombes a blanket. The couple survived the fire as a result. People have told Mr Mapley he is a hero. But he is reported in today’s papers as saying:

I’m not a bloody hero. It’s just the Aussie way.

Barry Mapley is a hero. He is a genuine Australian hero.

Another hero of these fires is Peter Thorneycroft of Kinglake. Again, he says he is no hero. He is the bloke who climbed onto the roof of the Kinglake National Park Hotel when the fire was roaring around the pub and threatening to send it up in flames. At the time 20 women and children were sheltering in the coolroom of the pub. Another 400 locals were piled into cars around the pub, and were at great risk if the building caught fire. Mr Thorneycroft spent an hour on the roof dousing the hot ash and wetting vents and drains with water while other brave locals handed him up buckets of water. There, in the papers today, is the unforgettable picture of him standing calmly on the roof—dressed in a pair of shorts and thongs, no shirt—as the sky blazed orange around him. And he did this carrying a serious arm injury. His wife Jodie says he has not had the injury operated on because he cannot afford to take a year off work to recover. The houses opposite the pub had all exploded, the witnesses say, and that if Peter had not done what he did, the pub would have gone up too. Peter says:

There’s no-one who’s heroic—you just do it.

… Everyone’s forgotten about their own lives—they just did what they did.

Peter Thorneycroft is an Australian hero. He is a genuine Australian hero. There are so many others like Barry Mapley and Peter Thorneycroft, and in the days to come no doubt we will hear more of their stories. We need to hear these stories, because so much of the rest of what we are hearing is so grim.

In recognition of the terrible events of the past few days I announce to the House that today the Victorian Premier and I have agreed there will be a National Day of Mourning and a National Service of Mourning for the victims of Victorian bushfires. This follows discussions I had yesterday with the Leader of the Opposition and again today with the Leader of the Opposition confirming these arrangements. I thank him for his support for them.

The Victorian government is currently consulting with the Council of Churches on the details of this service. The Australian government will provide support to the Victorian government in the organisation of both the national day and the national service. The details are currently being finalised and they will be announced soon. It is very important that the nation grieves.

The Country Fire Authority has advised this morning that for the first time since Saturday there are no current threat messages related to bushfires. There are, however, still around 30 fires burning. We must be vigilant. We now have firefighting personnel from around Australia on the ground fighting fires across Victoria: 288 from New South Wales, 95 from the Australian Capital Territory, 94 from Tasmania, 55 from South Australia and 22 from Western Australia. Tomorrow a further 50 firefighters will arrive from New Zealand.

As I mentioned to the House yesterday, it is estimated that around 5,000 Victorians have been made homeless by the fires. Of course, many are staying with extended family or friends but for others this not an option and we need to make urgent arrangements to assist them. I can also report to the House today that I have instructed the Australian Defence Force to make available to the government of Victoria short-term accommodation for up to 2,000 people. The Australian Defence Force will also be providing meals and other facilities at each of the locations that have been made available. Up to 1,200 beds will be made available at Puckapunyal near Seymour in communal accommodation. Pucka in particular is in reasonable proximity to a number of the fire affected areas. Puckapunyal is approximately 30 kilometres from Wandong and less than an hour from the main staging areas.

At the Maygar Barracks, in the vicinity of Broadmeadows, north of Melbourne, approximately 150 beds will be made available. The Maygar Barracks are approximately 40 kilometres from Whittlesea and within one hour of the main staging areas. The RAAF base in East Sale will provide accommodation for up to 500 people in a mix of individual and communal accommodation, including 150 places with disabled access. The East Sale base is approximately 70 kilometres from the fire sites and, given current road conditions, around one or two hours driving time. HMAS Cerberus can also provide accommodation for up to 200 people in rooms that range from single occupancy to three beds per room. HMASCerberus is approximately 50 kilometres from Churchill and around one hour’s travel time. RAAF Base Williams at Point Cook will also be made available with accommodation for 150 people in barrack blocks, although, as honourable members will be aware, that is a much greater distance from the sites of the fires. Each of these facilities is being made available now as a short-term measure while the Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority works on longer-term solutions to the housing needs of the fire victims.

I also wish to provide the House with an update on the assistance being provided on the ground by Centrelink further to the information provided by the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. By yesterday evening, Centrelink had made 3,123 Australian government disaster recovery payments and claims continue to be processed today. These claims represent support to over 4,500 adults and children. To date, nearly $3.7 million in payments has been distributed to families directly affected by the disaster. Seventy social workers are also being made available on the ground at the recovery centres, at relief centres, at Centrelink offices or over the phone as additional support for families during this important time.

The government has reiterated to staff at the front line that they should be lenient in requiring proof of identity for the purpose of claims. Centrelink is moving more staff into the area and now has in excess of 320 staff handling the Australian government disaster recovery payments claims to help ensure that claims are processed within 24 hours.

As I mentioned to the House yesterday, for the 5,000 or so Victorians made homeless by these fires it is crucial that their insurance claims are processed swiftly so that they can start rebuilding their lives. The Assistant Treasurer is continuing to be in regular contact with the Insurance Council of Australia to receive updates on how the insurers are assisting those who have lost their homes and businesses. The Insurance Council has informed the government that they are urgently putting into place a mechanism to allow them to play a coordinating role for the industry so that there are insurance industry representatives to assist fire victims in all recovery centres. The government has also put in place arrangements to assist those who are having difficulties with their insurers or their insurance claims. The Financial Ombudsman Service, which is responsible for complaints handling for the insurance industry, has established a dedicated hotline to assist bushfire victims with any insurance problems. The Assistant Treasurer will shortly brief the House in greater detail on these arrangements.

In the past 24 hours there have been some disturbing stories of banks not responding appropriately to the hardship being experienced by bushfire victims. The Treasurer and his department have been in regular contact with the Australian Bankers Association, with the association representing credit unions and building societies, Abacus, and with individual financial institutions over the past few days. The ABA and Abacus have indicated their members have announced emergency assistance packages to relieve the hardship being experienced by bushfire victims. This includes temporary suspension of home loan repayments, loan restructuring, the waiver of fees, providing additional loan funds where appropriate and emergency credit limit increases on credit cards.

The banking industry fully understands that the government and the community expect banks to show the utmost compassion and flexibility when dealing with those who have been affected by these extraordinary natural disasters. I am aware there have been some concerns expressed on radio about how one bank is treating its customers. The Treasurer has today spoken with the CEO of the relevant bank to ensure that the bank is treating their customers appropriately and that they fully understand the expectations of the government and of the community. I understand that the bank in question has issued a public statement to clarify the situation. If other customers feel unfairly treated they can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service on 1300 780 808. In addition, they can also seek assistance from ASIC on 1300 300 630.

Around the country there has been an outpouring of support and offers of help. As we saw on last night’s television reports, food, clothing and other essentials are being sent to the emergency centres from across Australia. There are food suppliers, retailers, warehouse employees and truck drivers who are donating their time and resources to help the thousands of victims of these fires. My office has received many emails and letters, as I am sure all members’ offices have, that reflect the spirit with which Australians are responding to this tragedy, such as a farmer offering 850 bales of hay to help other farmers in distress; many Australians who want to donate their economic stimulus bonus payments to bushfire victims; a prison officer in Goulburn who emailed me this morning saying that he and a number of his fellow officers would like to donate their accumulated recreation leave to the fire victims; a lady from Alice Springs who emailed to say she will use her annual leave to assist in any way possible; and others who have no money but want to donate clothing, bedding and other supplies. These expressions of support are not just coming from across Australia; they are coming from across the world. A lady from Cypress in Texas emailed me with these touching words:

Please tell your people that we here in Texas and in Louisiana, and every other area that has suffered through losses and devastation that was so powerful and painful, that they leave the imprint on your souls. We are not there, but if they close their eyes for just a moment, perhaps they will feel our arms around them, telling them that we too have been there, and this too can be survived, but it won’t be easy.

We are praying for you all, and wondering what we might do to help you in this tragedy.

The Red Cross and the Salvation Army are asking people to make only cash donations because they now have so many clothes and blankets. But of course the survivors are going to need a lot more in the weeks, months and years ahead. The Australian government and the government of Victoria will continue to do all that we can to provide for their immediate needs and to help them put their lives back together while we also work to prevent such a catastrophe occurring again. As we work together on the recovery and the reconstruction efforts in the days and weeks ahead, we must also learn from the past and we must also act on the lessons from the past—from this catastrophe and from earlier catastrophes.

I also inform the House that in recent days we have received further offers of cash contributions to public appeals from abroad, one from the President of Indonesia for US$1 million. The President of Indonesia indicated that Australia has always dug deep in helping Indonesia in its times of national catastrophe and disaster and that he, as President of Indonesia, wishes simply to convey to the people of Australia that he is not just a neighbour but a friend. I also, just before coming to parliament this morning, received a phone call from the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Sir Michael Somare, informing me that the government of Papua New Guinea has decided to donate A$2 million to assist victims of the bushfires in Victoria and those who have been affected by flooding in North Queensland. Sir Michael asked me to make one point to all members assembled, and that was again to say that, whenever natural calamities have hit Papua New Guinea in the past, Australia, through the Australian Defence Force and through other Australian aid agencies, has always been first into the fray and that, in this small way, he too wishes to reflect to the Australian people that they are not just a neighbour but a friend. It is good to have, at times like this, neighbours who are indeed friends.

Honourable members will be aware of the expression of concern and condolence which has already been received from Her Majesty the Queen. I have also received a communication from the Prince of Wales, which he has asked me to read to honourable members and to convey to the country at large:

My wife and I have been watching with mounting horror and anguish the devastation caused by the terrible bushfires which have been raging in Australia. Although such sentiments are, I realise, hopelessly inadequate in the circumstances, I just wanted you to know that our hearts go out to all those who have lost loved ones, homes, livelihoods and treasured personal possessions as the result of such an unmitigated tragedy. We can scarcely imagine their suffering and we would be most grateful if there was some way in which they could be made aware of how much they are in our thoughts and prayers at such a time of unbearable anguish.

Charles, Prince of  Wales

This is an extraordinarily difficult time for the individuals and families concerned. It is an extraordinarily difficult time for the communities who are affected by this tragedy. It is an extraordinarily difficult time for the Australian people at large. It is good at such times to know that we are enfolded in the loving embrace of so many around the world. I thank the House.

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