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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 1 Hansard (19 February) . . Page.. 180 ..

MR PRATT (continuing):

I do not believe that we can ignore his current observations or his previous warnings. The best place to deal with these very serious observations-to fully test them, to see whether he has relevant lessons that need to be built into the ACT emergency management plan-is in a judicial inquiry, where he can give evidence without fear.

Indications are that the Bureau of Meteorology had been warning the ACT government of the risk of severe conditions for three days before the disaster. Were their warnings heeded? Should those warnings have been alarming enough-perhaps they were not-to embolden the authorities to specifically warn frontline suburbs to take special precautions and prepare for extremes three days prior to the day of anticipated severe weather conditions?

Emergency management risk analysis, in my experience, is predicated on worst case scenario planning. Did that occur here? Perhaps it did. If it did, let us have it documented.

I turn to long-term major disaster planning. Did the authorities vastly underestimate a broad-front fire which would easily overstretch ACT fire and police units trying to cope with simultaneous breaches of the urban fringe over a front of 30 kilometres or more? Look at the ACT map. The ACT is a long finger of urban sprawl, with a major western forested and grassland flank, vulnerable to high-speed north-west, west and south-west winds. Has that strategic picture been fully appreciated over the years? I stress again that we need look back over a number of years. I am not pointing the finger at anybody singly in 2002-03. We are looking at the entire approach by authorities over some time.

Mr Tim Fischer has made some interesting comments, as reported in today's press. Tim Fischer has backed a call for a national inquiry into the 18 January fires, following the ABC allegations that have been the subject of discussion here today. He has called for a national inquiry for the same reason as we are pressing for a full judicial inquiry.

The ABC cited anonymous sources who accused ACT firefighters of planning for the so-called best rather than worst case scenario. I agree with the Chief Minister that it is unfortunate that anonymous sources have been cited. That is why a judicial inquiry is important. It is important for people to be able to step forward fearlessly but openly, instead of anonymous sources leaking information.

Mr Fischer said:

The new allegations are a further reason why there should be a national inquiry and why Saturday January 18 should be designated Stromlo Saturday.

That is perhaps a bit dramatic but that is what he said. The Mount Stromlo observatory was destroyed in the fire, which sources said could have been contained with better preparation.

Let me compare the current needs for a judicial inquiry with the Gallop inquiry. I entirely agree with the position put by Ms Tucker about the need to mobilise a fully independent judicial inquiry into disability services. Ms Tucker said then:

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