❓ Question regarding the alignment of the Leader of the Opposition's comments on personal responsibility in bushfire prevention with government policy. The Minister agrees with the Leader of the Opposition but criticises the Shadow Minister for Emergency Services' differing view and perceived incompetence.
AnsweredQoN 469Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BUSHFIRE-PRONE AREAS — LEADER OF THE
OPPOSITION'S COMMENTS
469. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Emergency Services:
I understand that yesterday, in
response the Parkerville fire report, the Leader of the Opposition promoted
taking personal responsibility to prevent fires. Can the minister please inform
the house how that aligns with existing government policy and any alternative
views he is aware of?
OPPOSITION'S COMMENTS
469. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Emergency Services:
I understand that yesterday, in
response the Parkerville fire report, the Leader of the Opposition promoted
taking personal responsibility to prevent fires. Can the minister please inform
the house how that aligns with existing government policy and any alternative
views he is aware of?
AnswerView source ↗
I do not normally agree with very
much of what the Leader of the Opposition says, but I must say, having read and
heard what he said on Geoff Hutchison's program yesterday, I agree with
him on this one. He essentially said, when asked about people taking
responsibility when they live in bushfire-prone areas —
But everyone has a responsibility
and if authorities, which have put in place reasonable rules and that sounded
reasonably reasonable, if you like, to me, well then people should abide by
it.
I agree with the Leader of the
Opposition. He said —
And what they are trying to do is
save lives and save property and people need to play their part in doing that
as well.
He went on to say —
in a general sense, people need to
take responsibility.
The Leader of the Opposition is
absolutely right. However, members, the problem is that that is not a view
shared by all members of the opposition. In fact, the shadow Minister for
Emergency Services has a completely different view when it comes to people
taking responsibility when they live in bushfire-prone areas. Every single time
we talk about preparation being a shared responsibility, we are accused by the
member for Girrawheen of trying to shift the blame. Every single time we try to
encourage landowners to do their bit, we are accused of deflecting
responsibility.
Mr
M. McGowan : You're just trying to intimidate her because she caught
you out.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : I absolutely agree with the Leader of the Opposition on
shared responsibility; the problem is that his shadow minister has a very
different view from that of the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I am
going to call you now to order for the first time. Member for Warnbro!
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : We have learnt this week that we just can no longer believe a
single thing the member for Girrawheen says in this place. We just cannot
believe it. Until we go out and find out otherwise, she just cannot be trusted.
On this issue, obviously she can no longer be trusted either. In fact, I am not
sure whether there is a standing order on lazy people putting questions on
notice, but if there were, I am a little sick and tired of reading questions on
notice from the member for Girrawheen who does not even know the name of the
agency for the portfolio on which she is meant to be the opposition
spokesperson. I am a little tired of reading questions on notice in which she
refers to the agency as the Fire and Emergency Services Authority; even as late
as last week she still refused to believe that that agency has not existed for
more than three years. She is still cutting and pasting questions from four
years ago; she does not —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time.
Minister, I want you to wind this up.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : The point is that when someone behaves like this, they are
either lazy or incompetent. I say to the Leader of the Opposition that I
absolutely agree with him: people need to take responsibility, and right now
that starts with him taking responsibility for the shadow Minister for
Emergency Services.
much of what the Leader of the Opposition says, but I must say, having read and
heard what he said on Geoff Hutchison's program yesterday, I agree with
him on this one. He essentially said, when asked about people taking
responsibility when they live in bushfire-prone areas —
But everyone has a responsibility
and if authorities, which have put in place reasonable rules and that sounded
reasonably reasonable, if you like, to me, well then people should abide by
it.
I agree with the Leader of the
Opposition. He said —
And what they are trying to do is
save lives and save property and people need to play their part in doing that
as well.
He went on to say —
in a general sense, people need to
take responsibility.
The Leader of the Opposition is
absolutely right. However, members, the problem is that that is not a view
shared by all members of the opposition. In fact, the shadow Minister for
Emergency Services has a completely different view when it comes to people
taking responsibility when they live in bushfire-prone areas. Every single time
we talk about preparation being a shared responsibility, we are accused by the
member for Girrawheen of trying to shift the blame. Every single time we try to
encourage landowners to do their bit, we are accused of deflecting
responsibility.
Mr
M. McGowan : You're just trying to intimidate her because she caught
you out.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : I absolutely agree with the Leader of the Opposition on
shared responsibility; the problem is that his shadow minister has a very
different view from that of the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I am
going to call you now to order for the first time. Member for Warnbro!
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : We have learnt this week that we just can no longer believe a
single thing the member for Girrawheen says in this place. We just cannot
believe it. Until we go out and find out otherwise, she just cannot be trusted.
On this issue, obviously she can no longer be trusted either. In fact, I am not
sure whether there is a standing order on lazy people putting questions on
notice, but if there were, I am a little sick and tired of reading questions on
notice from the member for Girrawheen who does not even know the name of the
agency for the portfolio on which she is meant to be the opposition
spokesperson. I am a little tired of reading questions on notice in which she
refers to the agency as the Fire and Emergency Services Authority; even as late
as last week she still refused to believe that that agency has not existed for
more than three years. She is still cutting and pasting questions from four
years ago; she does not —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time.
Minister, I want you to wind this up.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : The point is that when someone behaves like this, they are
either lazy or incompetent. I say to the Leader of the Opposition that I
absolutely agree with him: people need to take responsibility, and right now
that starts with him taking responsibility for the shadow Minister for
Emergency Services.
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