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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 1 Hansard (30 January) . . Page.. 3 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

More than 105,000 hectares of Namadgi National Park were burnt, 99 per cent of its total area. A similar proportion of Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve was burnt, to varying intensities. At Tidbinbilla, wildlife losses were countless. It is easier to speak about numbers that survived: only six rock wallabies, five potoroos, four freckled ducks, nine black swans and one koala.

In financial terms, the cost of the fires has been estimated at $280 million, but it is impossible to put a dollar figure on the loss of a home, family photographs and heirlooms or other treasured possessions. The loss of one's home and one's possessions is a loss of a part of oneself; it is a loss that would have to be experienced to be truly understood.

The day after the fires I drove out to some of the worst hit areas of Canberra and saw first-hand the horrific devastation that had taken place. The destruction and the appalling loss were truly heartbreaking. What had once been peaceful, thriving suburbs and communities had been utterly transformed.

I saw people shocked and saddened, sifting through the rubble, looking for their most valuable possessions. Understandably, people seemed shell-shocked trying to come to terms with what had happened. As the headline in the Canberra Times said that day, hell came to suburbia. It was an appalling level of destruction, but we will rebuild. The government will ensure that our city, neighbourhoods and lifestyles are restored quickly and with as little trauma as possible.

In 12 to 18 months we will have replaced most of what we lost, at least in material terms. But the greatest losses, the losses that cannot be replaced, are the lives of the four Canberrans who died defending their homes and trying to save priceless possessions. I know all members of the Assembly will join with me in expressing our deepest, most heartfelt sympathy to the families and friends of those who died. The entire Canberra community shares their grief and mourns with them.

In addition to the lives that were lost, a great many lives were damaged by the fires. The government is committed to not only rebuilding the city but helping people rebuild their lives. If anything good can be taken from this disaster, it is a reminder of the incredible generosity, bravery, resilience and decency of Canberrans.

There are too many stories to count of heroism and selflessness, which have emerged in the aftermath of the fires. I remember hearing a story of an older woman who evacuated her house and helped defend the home of a family she had never met, even though she was convinced her home had been destroyed. She found out later that her home had been spared. I was also touched by the story of a man and his son in Chapman who lost the fight to save their own home but promptly and bravely fought to save the home of their neighbours. Canberrans will never forget the selfless efforts of people like that.

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