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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
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Kangaroo Island Bushfire Response

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson) (15:00): My supplementary is to the Premier again. Given the Deputy Premier's excellent description of that meeting that night, where we heard from the principal of the school and the leaders and the recovery officer, as the leader of this state do you think you should have been at that meeting or with your Liberal Party colleagues at a wine tasting?

The SPEAKER: There's some characterisation in that question, but I will allow it. Deputy Premier.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (15:01): Can I just confirm to the house—

Mr Pederick: Don’t cry for me Argentina! It's outrageous.

The SPEAKER: Member for Hammond!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —that I and the other ministers who attended that meeting were proud to do so. We will continue as a government to have an interest and attend where we can in relation to fundraising events. Some of those, of course, are occurring on the mainland, some of them are for Cudlee Creek victims and, indeed, the South-East, the forgotten fire I read about, and those of course on Yorke Peninsula. All these communities need our support and all of us, as leaders in the community, whether in government or not, have an area of responsibility to attend to that.

I think, as the member would understand—and I am sure he does—the tourism sector on Kangaroo Island has been decimated by virtue of the loss of the wildlife and stock that is the bread and butter of the tourism industry. I think if members of the government, the Premier or other ministers, are invited to a briefing in relation to that important area, which requires support in its recovery, that is as critical as any of the others.

Everyone is important in relation to this area, whether it's for mental health or whether it's the provision of support for a small business that's dependent and hadn't been in a fire-affected area. All these areas need our support. I would hope that all members, if they are invited to any event at which there could be some attendance to indicate our endorsement of the support and concern we have, would be in attendance and work through to ensure these people are given every opportunity of not only support but access to information.

If the member has a circumstance brought to his attention, where a particular family or individual in any of the fire-affected areas, whether it's in the ones that have already happened this summer or perhaps, sadly, others that might occur, he should bring that to the attention of either the minister or certainly to the Premier, the particulars of that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: I have read some of the member's letters, which are very—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: I have read some of the letters that have been sent to others that are very generic and they haven't provided detail. What I'm asking the member to do is that, if there's somebody—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Well, it's very difficult to respond in relation to a particular case if the information isn't provided. I know, for example, that someone who works for the member for Mawson had lost her home. That is regrettable. It wasn't actually the first home lost in the fire, but nevertheless all those people need to have our support. If there is a delay that is unreasonable or questions need to be asked, we are happy to have the detail of that. But, to the best of my knowledge, the issues that have been raised by the member have been addressed. If there are individual cases that haven't had attention, please provide that information. We are happy to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Well, other members are interjecting here as if they have some knowledge of what's in these letters. If there are particulars of a family that is still in need of support, I would be happy for the member to convey that to my office.

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