❓ The question concerns the Premier's response to the Yarloop bushfires, specifically why he allegedly ignored the local member's attempts to contact him before the town was destroyed. The Premier defends his actions, stating he was on leave and responded appropriately upon being informed of the disaster.
AnsweredQoN 703Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
YARLOOP BUSHFIRES — RESPONSE OF PREMIER
703. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to claims made by the member
for Murray–Wellington that he tried to contact the Premier the day
before Yarloop was destroyed. Why did the Premier ignore the local member
during a period of a natural disaster?
703. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to claims made by the member
for Murray–Wellington that he tried to contact the Premier the day
before Yarloop was destroyed. Why did the Premier ignore the local member
during a period of a natural disaster?
AnswerView source ↗
I was actually on leave at the time
of the Yarloop fire. I forget which day of the week it was. I was advised late
at night by the Minister for Emergency Services that a number of houses had
been destroyed. At that time, I was not aware that the fire had actually
destroyed more houses; that was not the information that was available at the
time. I spoke to the member for Murray–Wellington, I think, the
following morning. I came back from leave and went down to Yarloop as soon as I
was advised it was safe and proper to do so, and I have been back to Yarloop on
at least a couple of other occasions since. I do not think that when there is a
natural disaster, Premiers need to rush into the firestorm when people are
still trying to —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : That's not what he was asking for; you know that.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The member for Midland did not ask the question. She can ask
me one.
I came back from leave, which is no
big deal, because I was aware then obviously of the scale of it, and as soon as
it was safe and on the advice of the firefighting authorities that it was an
appropriate time to go down, I went down immediately—immediately.
of the Yarloop fire. I forget which day of the week it was. I was advised late
at night by the Minister for Emergency Services that a number of houses had
been destroyed. At that time, I was not aware that the fire had actually
destroyed more houses; that was not the information that was available at the
time. I spoke to the member for Murray–Wellington, I think, the
following morning. I came back from leave and went down to Yarloop as soon as I
was advised it was safe and proper to do so, and I have been back to Yarloop on
at least a couple of other occasions since. I do not think that when there is a
natural disaster, Premiers need to rush into the firestorm when people are
still trying to —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : That's not what he was asking for; you know that.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The member for Midland did not ask the question. She can ask
me one.
I came back from leave, which is no
big deal, because I was aware then obviously of the scale of it, and as soon as
it was safe and on the advice of the firefighting authorities that it was an
appropriate time to go down, I went down immediately—immediately.
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