Page 4586 - Week 14 - Thursday, 24 November 2005
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Mr Gentleman: Mr Speaker to the point of order—
MR SPEAKER: I have ruled on the point of order. She will have to draw some links back to the report.
MRS BURKE: I am referring to the report. Do not be so touchy. You will get your moment, Mr Gentleman. They identified:
… various ‘keys to success’ including positive outlooks, community drive and spirit—
I am reading straight from the report here—
imagination, and on the government side—assistance and facilitation, good communication and honesty.
I ask the government: when people have to crawl on their hands and knees, virtually, to ask to have counselling, is that good governance? Is that giving assistance? Is that facilitating people’s road to recovery? As I said before, if you want to rebuild a community you have to rebuild people first. It is going to be totally impossible. I can hear that the government is so upset. At page 9 of the report, 1.22 states:
… Mr Chris Stamford, of the Phoenix Association, spoke about his experience as a volunteer and the emotional aspects of helping others.
The Phoenix Association and Chris Stamford are given four lines in this report. I am sure he said more than four lines.
In this report, at page 14, point 1.33, under “Sustainability and Bushfire Recovery Conference Display”, lists the things that were on display: the winning design for the Canberra international arboretum and gardens, the concept design for the ACT bushfire memorial and layout, Tidbinbilla redevelopments, plans for Stromlo forest park, the redevelopment of Uriarra and Stromlo villages, EcoWise maps of recovery in catchments and by vegetation communities, Australian Native Plant Society Canberra Region Inc information, Yarralumla Nursery, information about Centrelink’s role.
Do you know the one thing that is missing from here, Mr Speaker and members? There is not one mention about Pierces Creek and the families who are going back there. What has happened there? I would have thought that would have been essential. I have looked through the report and cannot see it. Perhaps Mr Gentleman can address it. Perhaps he has had talks with the Chief Minister, who has since made up his mind about whether those people are going to be allowed to go home or not. They are very quiet on that one.
I will not go on and upset the government any more; they are very delicate today, very glass-jawed. On that note, I just say that this report skims over many serious aspects; people cannot get on with their lives; and they need to pay more attention to helping people through this still-difficult period, particularly coming up to the anniversary of the bushfires; let us not forget.
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