Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to give a shout-out to the Rural Fire Service in the electorate of Hughes—the brigades from Bundeena, Maianbar, Grays Point, Engadine, Loftus, Waterfall, Menai, Illawong, Woronora River, Sandy Point and the command centre at Heathcote—for the fine work they have undertaken around our state in recent weeks. I'd also like to commend them for the hazard reduction burns they undertook earlier this year. Sutherland Shire is well versed in bushfires. The 1994 fires took 91 homes in Jannali and Como West, nine in Alfords Point and five at Bangor. During this fire season in New South Wales, we've already seen close to 1.65 million hectares burnt, but our history tells us there could be a lot more to come as this is well short of the record of 4.5 million hectares burned in the 1974-75 season, the four million hectares in the 1951-52 season, the 3.5 million hectares in the 1984-85 season and the two million hectares in the 1957-58 season and again in the 1968-69 season. So, on behalf of a grateful community, I say thank you to RFS and please stay safe over the coming weeks.