Page 2730 - Week 09 - Thursday, 8 August 2013
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That is a fair comment from the auditor and we will strengthen the audit trail to address those issues. But this is a strong report from the Auditor-General and an endorsement of this government’s efforts in bushfire management. (Time expired.)
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, what is the feedback that you have received from your directorate on the operation of the bushfire management plan after the last bushfire season?
MR CORBELL: I thank Ms Porter for the question. We have seen very good implementation of the strategic bushfire management plan following the most recent bushfire season. We continue to see a high level of delivery of key elements of the plan through the land management agencies—in particular, the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate. We have seen some very large controlled burns occur across the territory—notably, a very large burn in Namadgi national park which has made a significant contribution to helping our land managers to manage the bushfire risk in that part of the ACT.
Overwhelmingly, what we have also seen as a result of the most recent bushfire season is that as a government, as a community and as an emergency services organisation, we have learnt the lessons of 2003. That cannot be demonstrated in any better way than by the fact that, where we saw multiple lightning strikes spark fires in Namadgi national park, and in the lead-up, in about 48 hours before, there was a major north-westerly wind change coming through the ACT, there was a rapid and aggressive attack on those lightning strikes by our emergency services, parks brigade, volunteer brigades and ACT Fire and Rescue. As a result, those fires were brought under control and extinguished before the dangerous north-westerly and highly elevated fire conditions arrived.
That, more than anything else, demonstrates that as a community, as a government and as an emergency services organisation, we have learnt the lessons, and we have put in place measures to deal with fires before they become too big, before they become too dangerous and before they become impossible to control.
Health—adult mental health unit
MR DOSZPOT: Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, I refer to a response to a question taken on notice from Mr Smyth during the estimates committee process that advised that the cost of the new dining table for the adult mental health unit was $30,900 for a custom-made wooden table. Can you please explain why the table would cost $30,900?
MS GALLAGHER: Because it was custom designed to specifications required for the acute mental health unit.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Doszpot, a supplementary question.
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