Wednesday, 4 February 2026

 Dylan WIGHT (Tarneit) (09:44): This summer has been a tough one for so many right across Victoria. The bushfires that burnt through our regions were devastating, and it is always heartbreaking to see the impact they have on families, communities and livelihoods. I want to pay tribute to our incredible fire services and volunteers: you work tirelessly to keep people safe and to provide support when they needed it most. Your courage, professionalism and selflessness are what gets us through these difficult times. I also want to particularly acknowledge the incredible efforts of the Tarneit community. Local volunteers stepped up to provide food, care and comfort to those that were doing it tough.

In particular I would like to recognise Sheikh Abdullah Hawari and Hanif Shaikh from Virgin Mary Mosque for their leadership and compassion and of course our local Sikh community as well, who so often are the first ones there to provide food and comfort to those facing natural disaster.

In times of disaster, unity is everything. It is about looking out for one another, standing together and making sure that nobody is left behind when times are hardest. To everybody who donated their time and their resources or simply checked in on a neighbour or friend, thank you. Your kindness and generosity are what make our community so strong.