Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health) Share this | Hansard source

I speak today on behalf of my fellow Tasmanian federal members in this place and on behalf of our communities when I say thank you to the nation. Whilst the fire emergency might be extinguished a little in Tasmania, certainly the fires are not out. Tasmania continues to burn, as we have heard from both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. But Tasmanian communities have been strong. Sadly, we've been through it before. The 1967 bushfires in Tasmania are well remembered. The bushfires over recent weeks have re-traumatised some of the communities in Tasmania.

This fire was unusual. It was unusual in that the emergency went on for 2½ to three weeks. One of the hardest things I had to do during those few weeks was go to the evacuation centre and sit and talk to the local residents. One gentleman told me he wasn't so worried about himself; he was worried about his wife, who suffered from some anxiety. The constant packing up and being on edge—every day waking up, listening to the emergency warnings, hearing about where the fire was or wasn't and the change of direction from the wind—had put his wife and him on edge. It was the unknown day in, day out. They were waking up—or actually seeing light, because, of course, they rarely slept—and not knowing what the evening before had brought and what the coming days would bring. It was: 'You can go home. You may be able to go home. You can retrieve a few more of your things if you have time. We'll close the road only one way.' It was the backwards and forwards that was really taking its toll on these individuals and their families.

On behalf of Tasmanians I want to put on record thanks for the wonderful support that we have received from all across the country and from the fire brigades from other states and overseas. Support and help has come in from all over Australia. We say thank you to Australia for the support we have received.

I want to place on record my thanks to the local mayor in my Huon Valley. She has been extraordinary. She is a new mayor. She was elected only in October. She was at the evacuation centre every day for 2½ weeks, even though she had been evacuated from her own home. She was worried about her own community. She was there making sure that people got fed and that medications, mental health support and the practical things people evacuated from their homes with no notice or little notice needed day to day were available.

It has been an extraordinary effort by the three tiers of government, particularly by local government, which has borne a lot of the burden in Tasmania. I want to say a huge thank you to the volunteer fire brigade in particular. There is a story running about one of the firemen in my electorate who missed his son's first Christmas, his son's first birthday and his wedding anniversary because as a volunteer firefighter he had been fighting fires every day since Christmas Day right through till early February.

It has been an extraordinary time in Tasmania. These fires are quite unusual. As I've said, they are now mostly under control, but they continue to burn. They also of course continue to impact the World Heritage area and the tourism and small businesses in Tasmania. Tasmanian businesses would want me to say that they're still open for business. Most of the roads in Tasmania are still open. Most of our national parks are still open. People should still come and visit Tasmania because we need you more than ever at this difficult time as we recover. We are a resilient community. As I've said, we've been through this before and we'll get through it again. Thank you.

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