Page 3868 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 4 December 2007
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MR CORBELL: Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, that is the most petulant, childish and pathetic defence—
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: And you do not need to respond to interjections, Mr Corbell.
MR CORBELL: I have ever heard, because what it shows is that—
Mr Smyth: So being effective is not a defence?
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Mr Smyth.
MR CORBELL: Mr Smyth asserts that, just because they and previous governments of all persuasions let fuel loads build up in Namadgi national park for decades, and just because they were lucky enough not to have a major fire event on their watch, that somehow demonstrates good management. What a pathetic argument it is, because it displays no such thing. All it displays is that it was good luck.
Mr Pratt: Yes, but if you’d warned them, you wouldn’t have had those—
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Mr Pratt, don’t interject.
MR CORBELL: It was good luck, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, that that did not occur on their watch. That is all it demonstrates. It certainly does not demonstrate any foresight, wisdom or effective management on the part of ministers in the previous administration.
The Canberra community can be proud of the emergency services that exist in our city. The ACT ESA and its four different services stand ready to respond to the community’s needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Contrary to the assertions made by Mr Mulcahy, they are capable of responding to large-scale, ongoing and repeated emergencies.
Mr Pratt: That’s God speaking, and he’s not very happy!
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Mr Pratt.
MR CORBELL: I would not know, Mr Pratt; I do not believe in him.
Mr Pratt: Oh dear! Perhaps that is another discussion.
MR CORBELL: Well, you raised it.
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: You did not have to respond.
MR CORBELL: It could be like the motor vehicle accident in Osburn Drive, Macgregor yesterday afternoon, the 25 calls for assistance from the public last Friday following a heavy downpour of rain, or the response of intensive care paramedics on
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