❓ Question regarding public confidence in the Minister for Emergency Services' preparation for the upcoming fire season, given perceived failures within FESA prior to the previous season. The Minister defends FESA's preparedness and attributes issues to management on the day of the Roleystone-Kelmscott bushfires.
AnsweredQoN 491Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROLEYSTONE–KELMSCOTT BUSHFIRES — KEELTY REPORT — MINISTER FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES
I have a supplementary question. Given that the minister could not fix the problems rampant within FESA prior to the last fire season, how can the community have any confidence in his preparation for this fire season and the assurances that he will no doubt give this year? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
I have a supplementary question. Given that the minister could not fix the problems rampant within FESA prior to the last fire season, how can the community have any confidence in his preparation for this fire season and the assurances that he will no doubt give this year? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
AnswerView source ↗
I do not know that there were “problems rampant within FESA”. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me answer the question. This is the trouble; never show a fool a half-finished job or a half-finished statement. Let me tell — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I do not know that there were “problems rampant within FESA”. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me answer the question. This is the trouble; never show a fool a half-finished job or a half-finished statement. Let me tell — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
I do not know that there were “problems rampant within FESA”. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me answer the question. This is the trouble; never show a fool a half-finished job or a half-finished statement. Let me tell — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me answer the question. This is the trouble; never show a fool a half-finished job or a half-finished statement. Let me tell — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me answer the question. This is the trouble; never show a fool a half-finished job or a half-finished statement. Let me tell — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I do not know that there were “problems rampant within FESA”. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me answer the question. This is the trouble; never show a fool a half-finished job or a half-finished statement. Let me tell — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
I do not know that there were “problems rampant within FESA”. Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me answer the question. This is the trouble; never show a fool a half-finished job or a half-finished statement. Let me tell — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me answer the question. This is the trouble; never show a fool a half-finished job or a half-finished statement. Let me tell — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me answer the question. This is the trouble; never show a fool a half-finished job or a half-finished statement. Let me tell — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : FESA was prepared and I had faith in it then. That was prior to the fire season. It had all the equipment it needed, but unfortunately, as I said again, on that day—the criticisms in the Keelty report are predominantly to do with actions on the day — Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Management. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, through management. I accept that it was through management, and that has been accepted by FESA. It was through management on that particular day. That is where things went awry — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : There is no question about that and I do not try to defend that—not for one minute. Protocols and policies were not followed on that day and they should have been, but I had already put in place various actions to try to — Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Such as? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Let me finish—to try to ensure that there was better cooperation between our firefighting agencies, and that certainly appeared to be working. I was assured that they were working. I was also assured by the previous Minister for the Environment that those protocols and that cooperation were getting better and better and better. Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You mean the previous Liberal Minister for Environment. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I said the previous Minister for Environment; I said it correctly. Ears are for listening, feet are for dancing and mouths are for talking commonsense.
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