Page 3866 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 4 December 2007
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2003 bushfire disaster to ensure that the ACT emergency services could meet the demands of a major incident have now been deemed to be unnecessary or superfluous to requirements. Is it not amazing how quickly our memories fade and how quickly this government has abandoned the prudent measures that were taken after that horrendous experience that impacted on the people of Canberra? The fact of the matter was that this city was caught off guard by the 2003 bushfires. It is eminently naive to think that further incidents similar in scope to that fire could not happen again.
We have debated the preparedness of the ACT to respond to incidents in 2003 before. All subsequent inquiries and reports have shown the need for an emergency services organisation that is capable of responding to major incidents. The government itself, in fact, acknowledged this need and instituted many changes. That was the stimulus for many of the reforms introduced into this place and into the agency over the last few years. The departure from these reforms is extremely worrying and suggests that our emergency services are not as effective as they need to be.
I am also concerned—and my colleague Mr Pratt will go into more detail on this—by reports of dissatisfaction within the rank and file of the ESA with senior management, which has now stretched back for some months. These reports have reached the ears of a number of members of the opposition. They are cause for grave concern, especially as we go into what may well be a very dry summer.
Serious issues have been raised, and I will leave the detail to my colleague Mr Pratt, but it is important to note that, as with any organisation, if there is a want of confidence in the leadership, that organisation will not perform effectively. I would suggest that the level of confidence in Mr Corbell’s oversight of this agency is one that has continued to deteriorate, as he is quick to pass the buck and blame all manner of people, engage in stunts, as he attempted to here when the protestors were outside some time ago, and, in every way possible, try not to make himself look like he is the one who should be taking responsiblilty for the management of these agencies.
This policy of blaming people who have worked there in the past, blaming the suppliers of technology and attacking opposition members who raise legitimate concerns to me are all indicators of a minister who is not on top of his game. Apparently, as happened with planning and as has happened in other portfolio areas, the responsibility for the tough decisions is simply not accepted and, for expediency, blame is moved onto other people who are less able to put forward their own position and less able to defend themselved publicly because of their professionalism and their commitment to the tasks to which they have been assigned and appointed.
I reiterate that we must have an emergency services organisation that is capable of dealing effectively with major incidents. I, like many members of this community, am worried that we have the real capacity to experience the same sort of disaster that we had in 2003. From the things that I have heard in this place over the past three and a bit years, I remain quite unconvinced that we have in any way moved forward to prepare ourselves for the possible attacks that we may have from the summer period fires at a level that would cause us all to be very satisfied and comfortable.
We must have an emergency organisation that is capable of dealing effectively with major incidents and it is a matter of utmost public importance that this place discusses
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