Page 16 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 11 February 2020
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relocating threatened species such as bettongs, brush-tailed rock wallabies and northern corroboree frogs to secure locations away from the fire.
We have seen the installation of sediment traps to reduce nutrients entering our water catchments, and the retrieval of a significant Aboriginal artefact. Our vets responded to injured wildlife, following the hailstorm. Each of these has taken considerable planning, expertise and operational skills to implement quickly and successfully. This work would not have been possible without the support of our partners, including the Australian National University, the Australian Defence Force, Mount Rothwell, Zoos Victoria, Taronga Zoo, Icon Water, our catchment groups, of course, and ParkCare and Landcare.
We have further extended our relationship with the Ngunnawal community, engaging them in decision-making to conserve and protect country. It is testament to the professionalism and dedication of all the people in the environment division, including the parks and conservation service, that this work has been achieved under trying and draining conditions. I am advised that the division undertook significant work to prepare for the current fire season, including slashing of vegetation to reduce fuel loads, providing and maintaining fire access trails and ensuring that our people were trained and equipped to respond. This work has aided our response.
But let me be clear: the advice I have is that no amount of preparedness would have mitigated the fires, given the extreme dryness, high temperatures and low humidity. These conditions and the fire behaviour are unprecedented.
I would like to pass on my sincere thanks to all involved in assisting the community to remain safe. Volunteers and staff from the ACT Rural Fire Service, the ACT Emergency Services Agency, the Ambulance Service, ACT Fire & Rescue, mapping and planning support, ESA support services, the parks and conservation service, ACT Policing and the Australian Defence Force and public servants across the ACT government have worked tirelessly, on the ground and in the IMT, to keep the territory safe, so thank you to them.
I want to acknowledge the families, friends and employers of our ESA volunteers and the personnel who have assisted the ESA. Without your support, our volunteers across those services would not be able to provide services to keep the community safe. I want to acknowledge the Australian Defence Force and the New Zealand Defence Force for helping us out during this time as well.
In the chamber today are disaster specialist incident management personnel from the United Arab Emirates and the ambassador from the UAE as well. They have been working alongside our IMT team at ESA headquarters over the past week, so thank you for sharing your experience as well.
Thank you also to the crews from interstate, including New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania for their support in helping respond to the bushfires and storms that have occurred so far. Thank you to Kevin Jefferey and Steve Angus for their support and liaison with the community in Tharwa and the rural areas most impacted by the Orroral Valley fire. The response to the recent events that the ACT has faced
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