Page 230 - Week 01 - Thursday, 10 February 2022
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are incredibly resilient and generous with their time in helping their neighbours to clean up their areas, as we have seen repeatedly.
Secondly, I would like the inquiry to look at the effectiveness of existing reporting mechanisms on storm damage, both for redress concerning individual incidents and for statistical monitoring of the prevalence of storms and storm damage experienced by individuals and by people in the ACT community.
Thirdly, I would like the inquiry to review the adequacy of the response by various agencies of government and otherwise to the storm damage, the length of time it took to correct matters and the lack of support to clean up storm debris afterwards. A key question here is: how could the response be improved? We know that the SES has been overwhelmed. Evoenergy staff were out there working long hours to try and fix the issue. But in a risk-management approach it is not always about how we respond but about what we need to do to ensure that this does not happen again.
Fourthly, I would like the inquiry to assess the adequacy and accessibility of communication both during and after the storm, when ordinary Canberrans struggled to maintain their everyday lives. They were deprived of adequate support during a week without power, and in a COVID time this made the issues experienced worse for many. In previous years, SES volunteers would have doorknocked this area, but, obviously, due to the current situation with COVID, that was not possible. However, a letterbox drop could have been an alternative, or phone canvasing—calling the local area—or even attending the local shopping centre to hand out leaflets and talk to the local residents. There were other alternatives. I think that through this inquiry, with the support of Minister Davidson, these types of alternatives can come forward and be part of a plan for recovery after such emergency situations.
Finally, I would like the inquiry to consider the adequacy of services provided in the immediate and longer term period after the storm, including electricity, livelihood support and storm debris clean-up. A key question here is to review how other states and territories respond. We might learn from them and adopt what we have learnt into our own practices. I note that the inquiry will explore other matters that the committee considers relevant. I ask the committee to conduct the inquiry in a way that allows the greatest community engagement possible. I have suggested that a discussion paper be prepared by 29 April and to report back by 1 September, before the start of the next storm season.
I would like to acknowledge that Minister Davidson has been working with us on this motion to get it across the line, which we greatly appreciate. I think that the community would be willing to be involved with submissions to this inquiry. I certainly look forward to what comes out of it in September.
Finally, I would like to thank the SES for the amazing work that they have done in responding to this emergency that occurred in Belconnen, and also the amazing work of neighbours, family and friends in helping to clean up the storm debris. I encourage all people to participate in this critical inquiry. I hope that this inquiry supports and guides this territory on how it deals with this type of emergency event that might occur in future.
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