Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian government annually invests $50 million in aerial firefighting. Fire-bombing aircraft have been in action against these fires. Our national aerial firefighting arrangements are ensuring the best possible aerial firefighting equipment is available to protect Australians. In addition, the Australian Defence Force is assisting, under last Friday's activation of the COMDISPLAN, which provides non-cash disaster assistance, with the provision of accommodation, transport and sustenance for about 56 firefighters from New South Wales and the ACT.

I also encourage all Australians to ensure they have in place their bushfire survival plan. This has been the driest year since 1970. This is especially the case over the southern half of the country, which has experienced the driest January to July on record. The east coasts of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, as well as parts of southern Western Australia and South Australia, face above-normal fire potential. The BOM has advised this spring and summer is going to be unprecedentedly dry, as seen by this extremely early start to the bushfire season. We need to ensure— (Time expired)