Page 32 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 11 February 2020
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
fires, so some ways we, as a community in the ACT, have been fortunate. The worst predictions of fire in the ACT were not realised.
As a member of my local community fire unit, we were on high alert during these times. Our unit, like all the other CFUs, was established after the 2003 bushfires. Where we are, we have a reserve on one side of the road and, as well as the immediate danger, we can see the Bullen Range and the Brindabellas from our house. We could see the fires and see them approaching, just as we could in 2003. Unlike 2003, we felt we were trained and prepared to face a fire if it came closer, like other CFUs across the ACT. Fortunately, at this time we were not stood up. We were not required to fight fire, but we did engage in other community activities: outreach activities at shopping centres, encouraging people to complete their bushfire survival plan, and I went to the Erindale evacuation centre.
There are so many people that we need to thank for their work over the past weeks: a range of government agencies, the directorates and officials, paid and volunteer staff, our firies, RFS, SES and community fire unit members, volunteers in the evacuation and relief centres, those who helped people move from threatened homes, those who made meals, those who donated supplies and money, interstate and overseas firefighters and other personnel, the police, the Defence Force, Vinnies, Red Cross, the Salvos, St John’s Ambulance, Communities@Work, Anglicare, the Community Services Directorate, ACT Health and Domestic Animal Services. These and other agencies and organisations played a crucial part.
I would also like to pass on my thanks to the media, including the ABC, WIN, Channel 9, the Canberra Times, the RiotACT, 2CC, and the FMs. I also thank the wildlife carers and those who assisted in many, many ways, not just caring for wildlife. For example, the ACT Woodcraft Guild and some men’s sheds, who are making possum boxes and nesting boxes for wildlife that were displaced by the fires. These are all important parts of our recovery activities and they are all important parts of helping people to know that they are helping.
We owe our thanks to all the people of Canberra, and particularly Tuggeranong, I believe, who faced the wrath of this summer’s fires. The humanity and the hope and the positivity displayed by so many in our community are heartwarming. One group that popped up in Tuggeranong is called Community Connections Inc. This group was not seeking any recognition or coverage. It is a group of Tuggeranong residents who got together to provide practical support for people in our region who had, in some other ways, fallen through the cracks. These residents were there to help people after the bushfires or the drought.
It was our community members helping other communities that needed help, including tailored care packs of food, toiletries, clothes, shoes, bedding, as well as thoughts and wishes bags, bags that were lovingly packed with both practical and nice luxury items for people aged from zero to 100, along with a handwritten message of support. They packed trucks and drove down the coast and other areas and delivered these packages. Thank you to those people. They do not want to be recognised publicly, but I say to you that they represent the very best of all of us. This and other
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video