Lin Thorp (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to take this opportunity to reflect upon the tragic bushfires that engulfed my home state of Tasmania in recent weeks. It was a summer where we were once again reminded of the brutal strength of Mother Nature and of the amazing power of banding together to support each other in the face of disaster. From the start of the new year, it seemed something was brewing. Fires were already burning in some parts of the state, and we heard forecasts of temperatures in the high 30s. But no-one will forget 4 January, when the mercury shot past these predictions, swelling to an all-time high of 41.8 degrees in Hobart. At that time it looked bad, but we did not know how just how bad it would be and what it would mean for our state. With over 3.1 million hectares of native forest, our great natural abundance was soon to become a perilous risk and many thousands of people, communities and businesses would be under threat.

The situation deteriorated rapidly and, at the peak, almost 40 fires engulfed Tasmania. Very few parts of the state were unaffected. Fires were burning in the north-east on the edge of the Ben Lomond National Park; in the north-west, at Montumana; on the east coast, at Bicheno; and in central Tasmania, at Lake Repulse. The worst of the infernos ravaged the south-eastern Tasman and Forestier peninsulas, where communities were forced to flee as fires raged from the north, cutting road access and threatening hundreds of properties. These were terrifying times. The intensity was unbelievable. Many had to abandon plans to stay and defend their homes against the might of the flames, often escaping with only minutes to spare. One of the most poignant images for me is that of Tammy Holmes from Dunalley, who fled her home with her five grandchildren, all under 11 years of age. With road blockages and violent fires preventing escape, Tammy and the children had no choice but to shelter in the bay under the local jetty near Dunalley while husband Tim went to find help. With only 20 or 30 centimetres of breathable air above the water, the family had to submerge themselves up to their necks just to survive. They stayed for hours amidst raging fires until Tim returned with a dinghy to ferry them to safety.

This blaze ultimately razed 30 per cent of the properties in Dunalley. The police station, the school and the local bakery, all vital cornerstones of the community, were gone. By the time the fire had subsided, 203 properties were lost, 30 businesses were damaged or destroyed and more than 95,000 hectares were burnt out.

But all the numbers in the world cannot describe the true weight of the devastation borne by local communities. As a seventh generation Tasmanian, these are places that have helped make me who I am, and the people I have shared the best and worst of life with. I cannot begin to describe to you the feeling of anxiety and helplessness. For over 10 years, I had the privilege of serving as the Legislative Council Member for Rumney, which includes the affected communities of Boomer Bay, Connelly's Marsh, Copping, Dunalley, Eaglehawk Neck, Forcett, Murdunna, Primrose Sands, Sommers Bay, Susans Bay and Taranna. On the night of 4 January, after having settled close family friends to bed after their evacuation from Dodge's Ferry, I stood on my front deck and quite literally felt I was watching all my beloved Rumney burn. Many of the older residents were painfully reminded of the catastrophic Tasmanian fires of 1967, when more than 2,500 square kilometres were burnt out in southern Tasmania. Tragically, 62 people died, 900 were injured and 7,000 were rendered homeless.

If there is something that we can be grateful for, it is that this year's fires were not marked by this terrible loss of life. In saying this, I do not want to in any way diminish the tragic loss of Victorian firefighter, Peter Ronald Cramer, who lost his life while undertaking back-burning in Tasmania. I would like to express my deepest sympathy for the family and friends of Mr Cramer and to recognise the excellent work of the fireys across the country who came to our aid.

In quieter moments since the emergency, I have also had time to reflect on the differences between this year's devastation and the 2009 Victorian bushfires, where 173 people, sadly, died. It is fair to say that Tasmania took on board the lessons of these fires and went to great lengths to limit the possibility of a tragedy of this scale happening again. I am pleased that the Tasmanian state government, of which I was a part at the time, recognised the importance of the recommendations that came out of the royal commission into the bushfires and took heed. We acted quickly to implement these recommendations, with a very clear focus on preventing future deaths. Of course, the best plans could never have prevented the cruel heatwave that bore down on us, but it did mean that we managed to limit the loss of our most important asset—people. While the fires brought into sharp focus the fragility of our existence and the brutal force of Mother Nature, the days that followed also highlighted the strength of our local communities.

It has often been noted that there is something special about Australians in the face of disaster. It is almost as if 'helping a mate' is ingrained into our national DNA. However, nowhere is this truer than in Tassie, with its vast number of small, close-knit regional communities. My admiration and thanks go to the Phil Soleys of our community. Phil and dozens like him put aside personal loss and worked for days without sleep to help others.

I would also like to recognise the hard work of community organisations that worked tirelessly to help Tasmanians get through this difficult time. Organisations like the Australian Red Cross provided registration services and support to more than 3,000, who were forced to flee when the fires hit, and their work continues today.

At the same time, local, state and federal governments were also working around the clock to ensure that people got the help and information they needed, no matter where they were. There was a massive sea rescue operation launched for thousands of evacuees who sought safety on beaches, in boats and at Port Arthur. More than 2,000 people were ferried to safety, and another 2,000 took refuge at the community centre at Nubeena. It was almost Tasmania's Dunkirk.

The Australian government's most important role was to support local and state governments and to provide direct payments to affected individuals and businesses affected by the fires. So far, bushfire affected Tasmanians have received $6.7 million in federal disaster recovery payments of $1,000 cash for adults and $400 for children. We should also remember that under our longstanding natural disaster arrangements with the states, the federal government meets 75 per cent of the costs after major disasters. These are all important safety nets that have given Tasmanians short-term assistance and faith that their communities will be supported as they travel the long road to recovery.

So what about the future? As the news stories subside, it is easy to forget that the tragic effects of this disaster have not receded for thousands of Tasmanians. Farmers have lost stock, crops have been devastated, people have lost homes and businesses have been brought to their knees. The fires may be over, but the recovery has only just begun. It will be a long road for these communities to get back to where they were only a few short weeks ago.

I urge my fellow members to get behind efforts to help Tasmanians get back on their feet. You can contribute by donating to the Australian Red Cross bushfire appeal at their website. Already, $5 million has been raised in this manner. But the damage bill is much higher, so I urge to you dig deep in the knowledge that every single cent from the fund will go to where it is needed most.

I also want to make it clear that despite these setbacks, Tasmania is well and truly open for business. Look out for our world-class agricultural products; the fruit, the vegetables, the seafood and the wine on your own shop shelves. Or if you are in the market for an unforgettable getaway, make Tasmania the first place on your list to visit. All the roads are open and our tourism operators cannot wait to welcome you.