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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 1 Hansard (18 February) . . Page.. 58 ..

MR SMYTH (Leader of the Opposition): Mr Speaker, the opposition joins the debate on this condolence motion with some sadness because not since 26 January 1971 has Canberra faced such a tragedy. On that day seven people died in the flash flooding that particularly hit around Curtin. As a boy growing up in Curtin I have vivid memories of the volume of water that fell, and then later that day hearing that seven people had died, indeed five from one family.

As a volunteer bushfire fighter the first thing that we are taught is that our job is to protect life. Until this tragedy, a life had not been lost in Canberra to bushfires. I think the magnitude of what has happened is magnified by the fact that this the first time that lives have been lost.

On behalf of the opposition, I would like to offer to the families and the friends of the four Canberrans who now cannot be with us because of the tragedy of 18 January our sympathies and our thoughts. As I think the Chief Minister has so rightly said, the greatest impact of any of the outcomes of the bushfires on any Canberrans must be the loss of individuals. Those people will not come back; we will not see those four again. To lose a daughter or a son, to lose a husband or a wife or a partner, to lose a mother or a father, leaves an indelible hole in everyone's life-a spot that will be cemented for all time in the memories of the families and friends, a spot that will be cemented for all time in the memory of Canberrans as the most tragic outcome of that most tragic day.

On behalf of the Liberal Party here in this place, the opposition of the ACT Assembly, I extend our sympathies and best wishes to the families and friends of those who died, in the hope that over time as the pain heals they may constantly remember the good things, that they may constantly honour those that they have lost, and that they may understand that their memories will be with them for all time, and with us as a community.

MS TUCKER: On behalf of the ACT Greens I also extend my sympathy to those who lost loved ones in the January fires. I think most people in Canberra are still feeling shocked about the traumatic events of January, and the loss of life is particularly shocking.

It is true that in Canberra, in fact in Australia, we are comparatively sheltered from such drama. The experience of the fires has shown that as a community we can care about each other. It has shown that under duress many people have been courageous and noble. And it is showing that we can feel the pain of those people who have suffered the greatest loss, that of a loved one's life.

Ironically, as a result of this tragedy the newspapers, television and radio are full of good news stories as well as the bad, about overcoming hardship and suffering, about the kindness of the people. I think it is worth reflecting on the impact of this. I was told a story last week about a child not directly affected by the fires who announced to his mother that this year he was going to be kind to people in the same way as he had seen on television and heard on radio people being kind during and after the fires.

Out of the darkest moments can come some light. I do not know whether this is of any comfort to those who are grieving, but I think it is something to acknowledge. My very deepest sympathy is with those who are grieving, and I pray they might find peace.

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