Page 4119 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 16 Sept 2009
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
The national system has only just been announced in the last week, and the exact details of each and every aspect of it are not yet available. What the Greens are conscious of is the potential for the uniformity of the national system to be confused should jurisdictions go out and legislate to move away from the system, no matter how slight the difference.
This places the onus on governments in every jurisdiction to pin down the exact details of the system as soon as possible. Because there is slight uncertainty around the fringes of what the national system will offer, legislating now in the ACT is not the best decision. That is the conclusion we have come to on this legislation overall. To legislate now does potentially confuse the uniformity that is offered by the national system, and that is something that the Greens would prefer not to risk and not to see happen.
The national emergency warning system will not override the existing communication lines open to our Emergency Services Agency in the ACT. These communication lines will remain open and will include radio, television, press, the Canberra Connect call centre and government websites. What the national system anticipates is an extension to those communication lines in the form of the national emergency warning system through the use of telephone alerts.
While I do note that the procurement of the national system is being led by Victoria, with the aim of having it up and running before this bushfire system, I would implore the ACT government to do anything and everything possible to assist Victoria in meeting that deadline. It will not be helpful for finger pointing to start if we do not meet the deadline. The deadline is not something to panic about in the ACT. As I have said, we do have in place in the ACT adequate communication lines. I think it is enough to say at this point, in the lead-up to the fire season, that we encourage the ACT government to assist the Victorians in any way possible because enhancing the system can only increase the potential for community safety—a goal I think we all share.
The minister for emergency services also flagged yesterday that the ACT will be replacing the old position of stay and defend or go early with the new slogan “prepare, act, survive”. This new slogan ties in with the updated categories that are now part of the new national bushfire warning system and recognises that in some instances the best advice the fire services and government can be giving is that evacuation is best. This recognises that what once was a defendable property may no longer be defendable in the highest categories of fire. Underpinning the new slogan is a new understanding of bushfires in Australia and what individuals will be realistically capable of during days that are rated catastrophic or code red.
The minister also committed to a community awareness campaign to ensure all ACT residents know what the new system means to them. The Greens see this as a critical step in the rollout of a new bushfire warning system. We all need to be made very well aware of what it all means and what we all need to do when our neighbourhood is issued with one of these new warnings and information.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .