Page 3455 - Week 09 - Thursday, 20 August 2009
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MR CORBELL: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Again, I thank Ms Porter for the question. The strategic bushfire management plan has been commended by the Chairman of the ACT Bushfire Council as a document which is a national leader. That independent advice from the head of the independent watchdog body again puts the lie to Mr Smyth’s politically motivated, misleading and dishonest claims—dishonest claims—that we are no better prepared.
Mr Smyth: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The use of “lie” and “misleading” is normally in a substantive motion. If the minister wants to bring it on, go for his life.
MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, I did not say that Mr Smyth misled the Assembly. I said that he was misleading. I am happy to clarify the comment and say that Mr Smyth is misleading the community when he makes these claims.
Mrs Dunne: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I ask you to ask Mr Corbell to withdraw the assertion that Mr Smyth is dishonest.
MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the assertion. The fact is that the head of the Bushfire Council has endorsed the strategic bushfire management plan as a nation-leading document in the science and the scope of this work. Of course, the strategic bushfire management plan has been criticised by those opposite because they say, “It is only six weeks to the next fire season and none of it is going to be implemented in time.” If they actually read the draft document, they would know that the document is a five-year plan. It is a five-year plan. It is not a plan that is all going to be implemented in the next six weeks, you gooses! It is going to be implemented over the next five years.
Mr Hanson: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I ask the minister to withdraw the term “gooses” and at least replace it with “geese”, but not “gooses”.
MR CORBELL: I withdraw, but would “dopey waterfowl” be any better?
Mr Coe: Mr Citroen.
MR CORBELL: It is better than the Goggomobile that you get around in, Mr Coe.
Mr Speaker, the bottom line is that the strategic bushfire management plan is a nation leading document. We are encouraging members of the community to comment on that plan. The very real and clear message to the Canberra community is that there are 96 suburbs across our city that are potentially subject to serious ember attack should a bushfire come to or threaten the proximity of those suburbs. That is why it is so important that Canberrans have their say on this document.
This document has been developed through a broad consensus involving nature conservation groups such as the National Parks Association, the Conservation Council of the South East Region and Canberra, all the way through to land managers, experienced firefighters and rural leaseholders. It is a truly contemporary document. It leads the way in the country. We want Canberrans to have their say on it. It would be nice if the Liberal Party had actually taken the time to do a bit of research before they
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