Mrs WICKS (Robertson) (16:23): I too join with colleagues from all sides of the chamber to commend the incredible bravery, generosity, resilience and hope that we have seen in communities right around Australia following the devastating bushfires that razed thousands of homes, scorched millions of hectares of land and resulted in the tragic loss of 33 lives. The smoke that was hanging over this place just last night reminded me of the smoke that enveloped the Central Coast region in December. It was a stark reminder that the threat of these fires is still very much present and that hundreds of firefighters, defence personnel and volunteers are still on the frontline protecting lives, wildlife and property. In rising in support of this motion today, I also want to join with the Prime Minister in expressing the sorrow that I and many in my community have felt watching these bushfires over the course of this fire season, particularly when there were lives lost. While today is both an opportunity to reflect and remember, it is also a time to look forward with hope while many undertake the process of rebuilding their lives. These fires have reminded all of us in this place and right around the country what it means to be Australian. We stand shoulder to shoulder in the face of enormous challenge and persevere. We stand by our neighbours, our communities, and we support one another. I'd like to thank the thousands of firefighters who have bravely been out on the firegrounds protecting lives and homes collectively for many months. Our firefighters have faced and continue to face unimaginable circumstances, putting their lives at risk to save people, animals and property. In particular to the nine brave firefighters who never returned home from the fire grounds: we thank you. We thank you for your courage, your selflessness and the sacrifice you made in order to keep communities safe. I join with members of this House in extending my deepest sympathies to your families and friends who have been left behind. The loss that you have suffered is immeasurable. One of the enduring images of the bushfires that we have just seen, of the 'black summer' that we have just seen, is the visual footage of a fire truck being overrun by a wall of flames on the New South Wales South Coast. This footage shows the very real danger that firefighters face every day, and was actually filmed by a crew of firefighters from the Central Coast who captured the footage from within their truck while responding to an out-of-control bushfire at South Nowra on New Year's Eve. Daniel Field, Jasper Croft, Ervin Blancaflor and Grant Fitzgerald formed the crew of four who were based out of the Wyoming New South Wales fire and rescue station on the Central Coast. They captured the attention of the world, with their footage being viewed more than five million times. Remarkably, they made it out alive to tell their story, and their story is one of hundreds of other stories being told, with many, many more still to be told and retold as part of the healing and rebuilding process that we face. My community on the Central Coast was also affected by the bushfires, with the fires tearing through the national parks which border the western length of the region. Five separate fire fronts combined to form a megafire, spanning more than 500,000 hectares of land. It came right to the doorsteps of many residents in Kulnura, Mangrove Mountain, Gunderman, Spencer and Wisemans Ferry. This included Robyn Downham from Spencer, who told me of her fear as the bushfires came within five metres of her back door, only to be saved by the heroic efforts of the Spencer Rural Fire Service crews. On New Year's Eve another fire emerged in Charmhaven on the northern end of the coast, with hundreds of properties under threat. Due to the efforts of so many firefighters, the Central Coast was incredibly lucky compared to many other communities. I want to commend our emergency services and volunteer firefighters for saving over 400 local properties, all of which came under threat from various fire fronts. Locally, the Central Coast rural fire service was led by Superintendent Vicki Campbell. Superintendent Campbell, who is the Central Coast's Australia Day Ambassador for 2020, is responsible for the overall coordination of the RFS firefighting capability and bushfire risk management across the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie local government areas. Superintendent Campbell oversees 57 brigades, 20 staff and over 2,300 volunteer members. On behalf of the Central Coast community, we thank you, Superintendent Campbell, for your leadership and the resilience that you have displayed over the past few months. Our local brigades spent weeks assisting their fellow RFS crews on the Mid North Coast in November before returning to protect lives and property in their own community that were under threat by the bushfires that hit the Central Coast. Once the threat was reduced locally, these volunteers continued to give of their time and service, travelling to the South Coast as part of a Central Coast strike team to provide further support where it was most needed. As our Prime Minister said recently, our volunteers understand that the best lives stem from making a contribution rather than taking one. This rings true with all of the volunteers on the Central Coast, who continue to give so much over this fire season. We'll never be able to express how truly grateful we are for your efforts, and we thank you. What always gives me hope, especially in times of difficulty like this, is the generosity of Australians and the demonstration of the human spirit. On the Central Coast, our residents gave generously. Our Rural Fire Service depots were overwhelmed with supplies and donations before Christmas, so much so that residents were told to redirect their donations to other areas that needed more support. Residents right across my community have wanted to share their gratitude for all of the firefighters, defence personnel, emergency service personnel, Reservists and volunteers who have assisted in some form. In the lead-up to Australia Day, I travelled around the electorate with an appreciation book, in which hundreds of people have written their personal message of thanks. This book will be presented to our local RFS superintendent in the coming weeks. A number of messages stood out, but one in particular was from Susan Boyd, who wrote: Forever grateful. Living in a bushfire prone zone, it makes me feel a little more secure having each and every one of you making every effort to protect us. You put your own lives on the line to put us first. You're all selfless heroes. Pam Howard added: Thank you for your bravery and expertise. You saved our family farmhouse. We appreciate the long, exhausting hours you've spent fighting these horrendous fires. And young Ebony's message was simple and poignant: Thank you for taking care of my home. The generosity and selflessness is also evident in the story of Peter, his wife and his family. Peter owns and runs The Book Forest. It's a small, gorgeous bookshop located in Niagara Park. It's far more than just a bookshop; it's a beautiful store, where children's imaginations can run wild and where books absolutely come to life. And it's a place where the locals come to have a chat with Peter before picking up a new book or something to read. Peter and his family are just one family out of thousands who lost their home in these devastating bushfires. They did move to the Central Coast to help look after a family member, but the house that they owned was destroyed on the New South Wales South Coast. They lost almost everything that they owned in that home and, despite the loss, Peter and his family set out to do everything they could do to support the neighbours who had also lost everything back home. They started taking donations at their bookshop to deliver to the bushfire victims on the South Coast, including seeds, masks, batteries, water pumps, gas bottles and even a camper trailer. Peter and his family travelled down to their home just over a week ago to sift through the rubble of their own place, trying to salvage anything that may have survived the fire. Despite this being the first time that they had confronted their own personal loss, they still brought with them a trailer full of donations. It's people like Peter and his family who embody the great Australian spirit. They selflessly give their time and put others before themselves in the face of their own loss. Sharing stories like Peter's is part of the rebuilding process. We must reflect on what has been lost by so many, to ensure that we continue to rebuild even stronger than before. I also want to pay tribute to some of the events and activities that are happening on the Central Coast even as we speak, with many organisations doing their bit to make sure that we continue to raise vital funds and support for where it is needed. This bushfire season has been so far reaching it's difficult to find someone who hasn't been personally touched by the fires, either directly or indirectly. Some of my own family members, Paul and Glynis Gilligan included, were among the thousands to lose their home on the New South Wales South Coast. The fires tore through the small community of Mogo on New Year's Eve, destroying a number of buildings, including Paul and Glynis's home, which was on the same side of Tomakin Road near Mogo Zoo. Paul runs a local bus company, and he was busy defending the bus depot with garden hoses as his own property went up in flames. Luckily, the bus company wasn't significantly impacted and therefore he was able to continue operating normal services. But Paul and Glynis, like so many others, are now in the process of rebuilding their lives and coming to terms with the loss experienced within their community. Stories such as these are important to share as part of the healing process, and are a demonstration of the great resilience and strength that endures across this country. It is my hope that we learn, as a nation, from this immensely difficult fire season, and I support the Prime Minister's call for a royal commission into national natural disaster arrangements, following these fires, to ensure that we are more resilient into the future. I also hope that all of the communities affected rebuild stronger than ever before, that the generosity and the goodwill of the Australian people continue for months and years to come, that we continue to share the stories and listen to all of those involved in fighting these fires, and that we listen to those who have lost so much. Lastly, I would like to thank the Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management, David Littleproud, and his office, as well as Stuart Robert, for the diligence and care that they showed to every person impacted by these fires. Be it an inquiry on behalf of one individual or an entire community, they acted swiftly and demonstrated that no loss was too small to warrant every possible assistance. I know that our country will emerge stronger than before, united in our gratitude, resilience and hope. I stand with all of my colleagues today to place on record my deepest of thanks to all of the volunteers, firefighters, defence personnel, reservists and every single Australian who has played a part and made their contribution in such trying times.