Tuesday, 20 June 2023

 Sonja TERPSTRA (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:32): I rise to make a contribution in regard to the recent devastating bus accident in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, which has deeply impacted the community of Warrandyte and members of the Warrandyte Cricket Club and their families. Warrandyte is a community which I am proud to have served as a government member over the last five years in the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region. I pass on my deepest sympathy and sincerest condolences to the family and friends who have lost loved ones in this tragedy. I also pass on my best wishes for a speedy recovery for those who have a long road to recovery in front of them.

Celebrating a wedding would normally be such a joyous occasion, but tragically, as we all know only too well, lives can be irrevocably changed in a split second, leaving a lasting, painful legacy for those who are left behind to endure. Our government will walk side by side with the Warrandyte community in providing wraparound support to help community members get through this. That is why a support package of $580,000 will be made available for Darcy Bulman’s family, as she was tragically killed as a result of this accident. Family members of primary victims will receive $5000 to assist with costs like loss of income and travel expenses in dealing with the aftermath of this tragedy. All this is on top of the other supports that will be available to victims via the Victorian government’s victim support scheme and the New South Wales equivalent of the TAC. We will respect the club’s wishes for privacy during this time and will work privately and constructively with the Warrandyte Cricket Club and Manningham council to support victims and their families as they work through this deeply saddening and distressing situation.