Tuesday, 4 February 2025

 Emma KEALY (Lowan) (15:54): It has been a long summer for us in Lowan, where we have been battling fires for nearly the entire season. It started off with fires at Kadnook, which still continue to flare up, and of course the Grampians National Park. Little Desert was burnt out not that long ago – over the weekend – and our fires continue to burn. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who has been there to support our region over the past 50 days: the CFA volunteers, Forest Fire Management Victoria and all of the interstate fire crews that have come to help us, and particularly I send out my thoughts to the New South Wales crew that was impacted by fire and injured last night; I wish them all a speedy recovery. To the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, to all of the contractors, the dozer workers who are building those mineral earth breaks, to the pilots and ground support crews of our air fleet: thank you so much. Parks Victoria are absolute gems and are doing a fabulous job in protecting our tourism assets, in particular Emergency Recovery Victoria – Kendra Clegg, you are a legend. The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, our police officers keeping our community safe, Ambulance Victoria, the councils – Northern Grampians, Southern Grampians, Ararat, Horsham, Hindmarsh, West Wimmera – the businesses providing food to keep our crews fed and watered, the Sikh community who turn up with free curries every single fire, the Salvation Army turning up with beds and bedding and toiletries, all of the base camp crew, the volunteers and generous community members who have offered their homes – (Time expired)