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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 1 Hansard (30 January) . . Page.. 38 ..

MR HARGREAVES (continuing):

Mr Speaker, I mentioned before that I had had some part in the development of the policies behind evacuation and recovery centres. I was gratified to see that these centres became operational in a minimum of time, that the networks that had been training together came together. I saw and heard stories about the range of expertise which was available from the minute the disaster had passed in the southern suburbs and the preparations for the impending disaster for the northern and western ones.

The word I would use to describe all involved is "professional". I have to add, of course, "sympathetic"and "empathetic". To name all of the agencies and staff who threw themselves in to support the community would take all day. To the Emergency Services Bureau and their interstate colleagues, we owe an enormous debt. To the support crews which supported the frontline fighters, no amount of flowery language is enough to convey our gratitude.

To the call centres and the evacuation centre staff and those who staffed the recovery centres, I say that you are an example to all who face disasters in the future. To the people in business who gave so generously and so promptly, to the service clubs such as Lions, Apex and Rotary, and to the stalwarts like the Salvos, I say, "Where would we be without you?"

I would also like to put on record my appreciation of the Chief Minister for the strength and leadership he gave to the people of the ACT. I have no doubt that his strength and compassion became infectious and enabled many people to find that little bit extra when it was needed. All of the plaudits which have been heaped on Jon Stanhope are well deserved and I would add my voice to them.

To those members of the interstate media, particularly Padraic McGuinness and the Sydney Morning Herald, and to the mealy-mouthed federal political figures like Wilson Tuckey who had the heartless gall to sink the boot into Canberra when we were fighting so hard, I say, "Wake up and realise that Canberra and the ACT are home to real people, people with courage and a sense of community, people who support each other and do not take advantage of other people when they are defenceless."The local media, particularly 666 ABC Canberra, WIN Television and the Canberra Times, were fantastic, and those interstate could learn from them.

I will leave you with one small story. I stood in the ashes of 12 Ammon Place, Kambah with Greg and Jo-Anne. Jo showed me how her water meter had survived and there was a small depression in the blackened earth. She said that during the fireball, embers, ash and burning paper had rained down and a piece of paper had found its way into the hole. I asked my wife Jenny to join me and we three looked into that hole. Inside was a remnant piece of paper on which the words "life sux"appeared. I marvelled at Jo's sense of humour, her courage and her pragmatism. I left Greg and Jo buoyed by that courage and their faith that they could rebuild their life.

During these darkest of hours, the people of Canberra stood up and were counted. We live in the company of heroes and a community of which we can be immensely proud.

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