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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 05 Hansard (Thursday, 13 May 2004) . . Page.. 1799 ..

the January 2003 bushfire disaster. Indeed, it was the most important ministerial role performed anywhere in the territory that week.

As the acting minister for emergency services, it would be fair to assume that the majority of contact you would make—and I make this assessment myself—on 17 and 18 January 2003 would be with senior staff in the Emergency Services Bureau and the head of the Department of Justice and Community Safety, Mr Keady. Certainly as the shadow minister for emergency services that is the contact that I would ensure that I maintained. However, the evidence that we have to date, Mr Speaker, is to the contrary. During question time in the chamber on 10 March 2004, I asked the following question of the Chief Minister:

Following clear advice from Mr McRae of the risk management unit on Friday, 17 January 2003 at 6.00 pm that the bushfires would reach Duffy at 20.00 hours the next day—

that is, 8.00 pm—

what updates were you given on that evening regarding preparation for what was anticipated to be one of the worst periods for bushfires in the ACT’s history?

The Chief Minister’s answer to my question was:

None.

My supplementary question was:

Why didn’t Mr Keady call you, given that he had received three phone calls that evening from the Director of the Emergency Services Bureau?

The Chief Minister’s answer to my question was:

I think that it is probably necessary for us to wait for Mr Keady to give evidence to the Coroners Court in relation to that. I have no idea why Mr Keady did, or did not, do anything on the evening of the Friday.

This cannot be believed. How did the Chief Minister not possess then or ever since the period in question the inquiring mind required of a true leader to determine what was in Mr Keady’s mind at the time of making important telephone calls on days and evenings of extreme and dangerous activity? How is this Assembly to believe this?

Let’s hear those incredible words again:

I think that it is probably necessary for us to wait for Mr Keady to give evidence to the Coroners Court in relation to that. I have no idea why Mr Keady did, or did not, do anything on the evening of the Friday.

I put it to you, Mr Speaker, that these are carefully chosen words on the part of the Chief Minister, carefully chosen not so much for what they say as what they do not say. The obvious answer to my supplementary question would be:

I have no idea why Mr Keady did not ring me.

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