Louise Markus (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Friday evening I had the pleasure of attending the Blue Mountains state emergency services annual presentation. It was an honour to spend the night in the company of these wonderful people, who give their time so freely. SES members are champions of our community; they never hesitate to work around the clock to ensure those who need their help are not left without assistance. Volunteers form the social fabric of the Blue Mountains community, and lives are made better because of their work and service.

From Lapstone to Mount Victoria, the Blue Mountains unit has a membership of about 100, with two bases located along the Great Western Highway at Katoomba and Faulconbridge. About 70 per cent of the area that the Blue Mountains unit covers is made up of Blue Mountains National Park. The Blue Mountains is home to around 76,000 people who live in the 26 towns and villages that are located between 50 to 120 kilometres west of Sydney. These volunteers do an outstanding job, particularly given there are a number of factors that create difficulties for local residents, such as the terrain and climate. Since 1957, SES members have responded to more than 10,000 requests for assistance because of storm damage in the Blue Mountains, and were an integral part of assisting during the 2013 bushfires.

It is such a joy and a privilege to represent a community and a group of people that are so generous. The best of our community shines in our volunteers. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all award recipients and SES volunteers in the Macquarie electorate and across this great nation for their dedication to our communities.