Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to acknowledge the selfless work of first responders in my electorate of Isaacs. Our community relies on Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Fire Rescue Victoria and the volunteers of the Country Fire Authority and the Victoria State Emergency Service. I'd like to acknowledge their tireless work that protects lives and property through coordinated responses, including firefighting, rescue operations, medical care, evacuation support, traffic management, and protecting homes and local infrastructure. We saw that work during the flash flooding along the Great Ocean Road earlier this year and the floods in Mildura and surrounding areas. We saw it again during the recent heatwave and major bushfires across Victoria.

Behind each of these events and many others are the people who leave home at short notice not knowing what they will find when they arrive. It means long hours, clear judgement under pressure and a strong sense of duty to the community. For many it begins with a call that comes without warning while they're at work or with their families or in the middle of the night. Often they do not know whether they will be gone for an hour, most of the night or days. They arrive when the rest of us are trying to leave or calling for help when we need it the most. They carry the weight of responsibility before they even step out. Most of the time we only see the end results: roads reopened, houses protected and families moved to safety. What we don't see is the danger and devastation first responders walk into: unimaginable bushfires, floodwaters carving through homes, roads and properties, and destructive winds tearing down trees, powerlines and buildings.

I extend my sincere thanks to all first responders in my electorate of Isaacs and across Australia. I've seen their professionalism and the readiness that sits behind every call-out. Your service—the service of all first responders—protects lives and property and is deeply valued by the communities that you serve.