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ADF
praised in parliament for bushfire effort
The
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Fran Bailey,
has acknowledged the dedicated effort of Defence personnel in the
recent bushfires crisis.
Speaking in Parliament, Fran Bailey said ADF members had shown the
same spirit, character and versatility during the bushfires as they
had in many previous emergencies.
“Australian Defence Force personnel again demonstrated strength
of character and versatility as they worked shoulder to shoulder
with fire fighters over the holidays against some of the most fearsome
bushfires we have seen in this country,” she said.
“Faced with an enemy of a different kind, Defence personnel
were quick to respond, postponing regular duties to lend a mate
a hand and providing invaluable backup and support to weary fire
fighters.
“And as we have come to expect, the Defence personnel acted
with the utmost professionalism, stamina and courage to support
the efforts of the volunteer fire fighters and emergency service
workers, pitching in to defend communities against the peril of
the firestorms.”
Fran Bailey said the dedication and response by Defence personnel
during emergencies was becoming an all too familiar sight. Quoting
more recent emergencies like the Bali tragedy, she said the ADF
response was immediate and probably the largest mobilisation of
emergency military support in peacetime.
“These occasions represent major contributions to co-ordinated
national emergencies, outside of wartime when, often with little
acknowledgement, defence personnel use their skills and training
to help fellow countrymen and women in time of need,” she said.
“But our armed forces are not immune to the despair and tragedy
that accompany these disasters. Just as the endless days fighting
fires takes a terrible toll on our firefighters — most of whom
are volunteers and travel great distances from loved ones to help
their colleagues — so too does the involvement in natural and
man-made disasters by members of our armed forces.
“My thoughts are with the RAAF member whose wife perished in
the bushfires in Canberra and to others who lost homes or all their
possessions, we stand with you as you assess and rebuild.
“We are a nation characterised by our enduring spirit of giving,
by our strong sense of mateship and our willingness to lend a hand
in times of crisis and we should count ourselves lucky that our
armed forces espouse these very qualities. We are privileged to
have them and should repay them with loyalty, support and understanding.”
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