Page 3320 - Week 10 - Thursday, 19 October 2006
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less damage than he has been doing over the last two years. A seriously failed leader. A seriously failed and flawed leader.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Stanhope, I think you have taken it a bit too far.
MR STANHOPE: Yes. Anyway, the irony is not lost on us that Mrs Dunne, who instigated the replacement of her previous leader, now stands to defend him. And he needs all the defence he can get.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Stanhope, come to the subject matter of the motion.
Mr Pratt: Let us get back to the 40 per cent.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Pratt! You are on a warning.
MR STANHOPE: It is relevant, as we dwell on this particular issue—supposed failings of my government in relation to emergency services—to dwell on what we inherited and the enormous deficiencies that we have been required to meet and to fill.
As recognised by McLeod and certainly as recognised through the coronial inquest, Mr Smyth, as the previous minister for emergency services, of course has to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the level of fuel that had built up to the west of the ACT. Never forget that the 2003 fire occurred one year after we took government, after seven years of Liberal government.
The great issue that everybody concentrates on is the level of fuel that had built up in Namadgi and all places and parts to the west of the ACT, including in pine forests then growing to the very edge of the ACT. A situation, of course, that had persisted throughout the seven years of the Liberal government under the stewardship of Mr Smyth.
It was a significant issue, as recognised by every commentator in relation to the fire. Who was responsible for that? The Liberal Party generally, and Mr Smyth specifically. What did we inherit? We now have a motion condemning this government and the current minister in relation to issues around communications. What was the communications system we inherited that this minister is now oversighting the replacement of, and its finalisation?
Opposition members interjecting—
MR STANHOPE: It is a fine irony, is it not, and so much humbug to come into this place and condemn this government and this minister for putting in place a communications system where none existed. It is a fine thing, is it not, to come into this place and condemn this government and this minister for establishing a permanent home and headquarters for the fire service and emergency services authority, when one did not exist because you could not be bothered. It is a fine thing, is it not, to come into this place and condemn this government for a lack of investment in emergency services, when we are investing over $20 million a year more, year after year, than you did.
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