Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Ministers statements: bushfire preparedness

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:06): I rise to update the house today on the state of fires and extreme weather that is being experienced in recent days and over the course of this week. What we saw over the weekend, last night and into today is a challenging weather experience, and it does remain a dynamic situation. Yesterday we had a total fire ban in the Mallee, we saw fires in East Gippsland and also the storm weather coming through today. So I just did want to take the opportunity, particularly in regard to the fires in Gippsland, to update the house about the two ‘Take shelter now’ emergency warnings for fires affecting Seacombe, Loch Sport, Briagolong and surrounds, and this behaviour at Briagolong is particularly extreme. We already know that we have confirmed one house lost yesterday, and there is further assessment of asset loss being undertaken today.

There is a ‘Leave’ emergency warning for a number of communities around Fernbank, Glenaladale and Lindenow South. There is an ‘Advice – stay informed’ warning for a fire affecting Golden Beach and Paradise Beach, and there is a ‘Watch and act – prepare to take shelter’ warning in place from Marysville to the New South Wales border, which of course includes Gippsland and the Great Dividing Range. Plus there are also flood watches that have been issued for Gippsland and the north-east. This gives the house and the Victorian community a sense of how dynamic the experiences are for regional communities across the state, and I want to thank the emergency services personnel who have worked tirelessly through this period of time. It is also a timely reminder that we all need to make sure that we have downloaded the VicEmergency app and that we are aware of the surrounds when we are travelling around the state. Do not travel in extreme weather if you do not need to, and make sure that you stay up to date with the latest information, whether it is through the VicEmergency app, through the Bureau of Meteorology or through emergency broadcasters. Please, Victorians, make sure that you are aware of the surroundings. We have got some difficult periods ahead. We are going into summer, and it is a timely reminder.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:09):(By leave) equally, can I just say very briefly and echo what the Premier has said and convey not just to this house but to the Victorian people more generally that we stand ready to work with the government, as we all do irrespective of party, to serve the communities that most need it. Thank you very much.