Relation to the recent bush fires and debate on the motion to have precedence over all other business. The debate continue until adjourned or resolved if necessary of the usual time of the house. Three, the Federation Chamber not to meet. Four, the house to adjourn on the motion of a minister without debate. And five, any variation to this arrangement to be made only by a motion moved by minister. Question is that the motion moved by the leader of the house be agreed to. All those of that opinion say aye. To the contrary, no. The ayes have it and i call the Prime Minister. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I move that the house, one, acknowledges the devastation across our nation occasioned by the bush fire season including the loss of 33 lives, the destruction of over 3,000 homes, the unimaginable loss of so much wildlife and the devastating impact on regional economies across australia. Two, extends its deepest sympathies to families who have lost loved ones. And to those who have suffered injuries or loss. On record, its gratitude for the service of david morrisi, Jeffrey Keaton, samuel mcpole, big slade, matt cavana, ian mcbeth, paul hudson, and Rick Demorgan jr. Firefighters who lost their lives during the fires and extends its deepest condolences to their families. Four, recognizes the contributions of thousands of volunteers and career firefighters and the dedication of Emergency Services personnel across australia. Five, honors the contribution of more than 6,500 Australian Defense force personnel including 3,000 adf reservists and the work of Emergency Management australia throughout the summer. Six recognizes the generosity of individuals, families, schools, churches, and religious groups. Service clubs and businesses from across australia and elsewhere in the world during the evacuations and following the fires. Seven, expresses its gratitude to australias friends, allies, and neighbors who have provided or offered support. Eight, recognizes the unceasing efforts and close cooperation between state and local governments, demonstrating the strength of our federation. Nine, commit itself to learning any lessons from this fire season. And ten, pledges the full support of the Australian Parliament to assist affected areas to recover and to rebuild. Mr. Speaker, we welcome the families of those who are lost and who were here with us today. In past times when australia has been tested by fire, we have given the fires a name based on the name of the day or locality. Black thursday in 51. Black friday in 9 and 39. Ash wednesday in 1983. The bush fires of 2003. Black saturday in 2009. Just saying these words brings back such chilling memories. This year we have faced and are still facing a terrible season of fire. National in scale. Fires that reached our highest Mountain Range and our longest beaches. Fires that consumed forests, grasslands, and farms, suburbs and villages. Fires that jumped rivers and highways. Fires where days became night. And the night sky turned red. Fires that raged into the heavens as clouds of fire. With it all, a merciless smoke that lingered across our cities. Fires that still burn. And the smoke from burned bush land that left an oppressive tightening in our chest told us that all was not right. This is the black summer of 20192020 that has proven our National Character and our resolve. A National Trauma best described by Indigenous Leaders who love our land so much as a grief for the victims, our wildlife and broken heart for the scouring of our land. These fires are yet to end and danger is still before us in many, many places. But today, we gather to mourn, honor, reflect, and begin to learn from the black summer that continues. And to give thanks for the selflessness, the courage, and the sacrifice and generosity that met these fires time and again and continue to. Many of the stories of our black summer we will never know. Some will become known. And others have already been taken to our hearts as australians. Across australia, we witnessed unparalleled firefighting and relief efforts. Thousands upon thousands have stood together to fight fires and protect communities. While our hearts are heavy for the loss of 33 people and the destruction of over 3,000 homes, we know our Emergency Services and our adf personnel, our firefighters, have undertaken a mighty effort to save so many more homes. So many more communities. And so many more lives. Along with the loss and at times seeming failure, there has been perseverance. Courage. And an unwillingness to give all to prevail. None has given more than the nine firefighters we lost. And i extend, again, my welcome today to the many family members of our lost firefighters who are with us today. I also welcome the czambassadorf the United States who stands here in the state of three American Families who also gave and lost so much. Every one of these firefighters was loved. All were brave and had lives that meant so much to those around them. The funeral of Jeffrey Keaton, there was a coffee mug, a mug no different than most of the dads here have sure seen at some time. It was a mug that was placed on jeffs coffin and it had the wo words, daddy, i love you to the moon and back. Jeffs son, harvey, was 19 months old when he lost his father. Jeffs fiancee just held their son as they mourned his loss together with his family. Jeff died alongside his fellow volunteer, andrew dwire, from the halsley pack brigade, Amazing Group of people, fighting the creek fire. Jeff and andrew were mates. Together with their captain, darren, who has honored them on so many times now. Some even referred to them as brothers. New dads, too, together with their children born only days apart. Andrews daughter, charlotte, almost 2, was also at his funeral where jenny and i joined them. Innocently unaware of how horrible and terrible loss. Charlotte was wearing a little white dress and had pigtails that only her mother, melissa, could have lovingly made and on top of those pigtails, she put on her fathers white firefighting helmet. Like jeff, andrew loved what he did. With the brigade saying his love of the fire brigade was as thick as the blood that ran through his veins. Like jeff and jess and andrew, melissa, they shared a life together of such promise that is so sadly now a memory. We lost david morisi fighting a fire. He was a husband, a father, and a grandfather. He had been supervising the creation of vital firebreaks and died in a vehicle rollover. He was a bushman. He loved to fish, shoot and hunt. He planned on boxing day to travel to the philippines to help build a school there. He already supported the building of schools in thailand. We lost same mcpaul, he was just 28. The world at his feet. Married to meagan for just a year and a half. Expecting their first child. The son of a loving single mom, chris, for whom sam was her entire world. There will come a day when that young boy or girl will imagine what their father was like and will ask questions and when that day comes, we want that precious child to know that their dad was even better than they could have ever imagined. He was the best of us. Matt cavana was also a young father. Two children. 6yearold ruben and 4yearold kate. A devoted husband. Loved his fly fishing and had been a member of the Forest Fire Management victoria for ten years. On the day of the accident, hed been extinguishing unattended campfires. His older brother said his family lost the most special person in the world. Bill slade was just as loved and his wife, carol, daughter, stephanie, and son, ethan, know how much he was loved. Bill had worked in land and Fire Management for 40 years and was about to retire. It was said there was no one more experienced and no one as fit as well. Bill even fought the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983. Was described as a true gentleman with the kindness and gentlest of souls. And i spoke to ethan and stephanie, they could not have been more proud but also more devastated by their loss. When we thought we couldnt hurt any more, we lost three men who had traveled half a world to protect us. We honor our american friends. We had no greater friend than the United States. Captain ian mcbeth. Mcdemorgan jr. Who were lost to us when their c130 hercules airport crashed. Captain mcbeth, experienced firefighting pilot, survived by his wife and three children. He had served in iraq, in afghanistan, and was a member of the Montana Air National guard. His daughter training to be a pilot, herself, said she wanted everyone to know he was just a wonderful person. First officer hudson had received in the marine corps for 20 years including as a c130 pilot. He is from buckeye, arizona, and survived by his wife, noreen. Across arizona, they lowered flags in his honor. And Flight Engineer demorgan had served in the u. S. Air force with 18 years as a Flight Engineer on the c130. It was said his passion was flying. I announced a medal will be for summer of 20192020 for these fires. Advised that once the bush fire response is complete and Eligibility Criteria for the medal has been set, all nine of these firefighters who have lost their lives will be nominated to be posthumously awarded the National Emergency medal. In addition, the government has reconsidered the criteria of eligibility for the National Medal. This is australias most awarded civilian meddal with more than 237 medals awarded since its inception. It recognizes the long and Diligent Service by members of eligible Australian Government and Community Organizations that risk their lives or safety to protect and assist the community. It is awarded after 15 years of service. It has not been awarded posthumously to longterm members or eligible organizations who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Im also pleased to announce that her imagimajesty agreed tod the regulations of the National Medal to be awarded posthumously. This change will allow the National Medal to be awarded to those who died in the service of their duty and who would have reached 15 Years Service if not for their death. This amendment will be retrospective to the creation of the medal in 1975 meaning that oath who are hathers who died i of others will now be eligible. Mr. Speaker, we witnessed the most remarkable actions through these fires by our volunteers and our Defense Forces in recent months. Tens and thousands of volunteers, all of them doing things that were extraordinary, although they would consider themselves ordinary. Joined by 6,500 Defense Force personnel including 3,000 reservists who are compulsory called out. So much of it is difficult and dangerous work. Ordinary people, extraordinary actions. One new south wales, alex newcome, returned to the fire ground just 12 weeks after a kidney transplant. Fi his doctors werent pleased. But as alex said, its just what we do. We get stuck in. His kidney donor was none other than his wife, kate. A fellow firefighter in the same brigade. Alex had been a volunteer for 20 years. On 21st december, his truck was overrun by flames. The truck had run out of water. Couldnt activate the sprinkler system. After all hed been through, it was touch and go. He drove his crew to safety. Thats the story of the summer. Remarkable australians standing by each other, struggling, persevering, tighten the winds where they could find them. It wasnt just firefighters. Behind our fire crews, a support apparatus that did not sleep. And our communities were backed up by volunteers at evacuation centers, Service Groups such as the cwa, and wildlife groups. And the charities, the salvos, and so many more. Some of it was organized. Some of it not. Together, these efforts resulted in the most tremendous outpouring of generosity our country has seen. Big businesses. Small businesses. Moms, dads. All giving what they could. That was the wonder of this summer. Tens of thousands of volunteers fighting fires then joined by 25 million of their countrymen and women supporting them. Trusting each other. Backing each other. 25 million acts of kindness. All of them reminding us about the country we love. More than money, it spoke of their resolve and reminded that what united us as australians is always more enduring and lasting than what divides us. And with every action, a reminder of who we are like the openers of the Indian Restaurant in gibson referred to on Australia Day, cooked thousands of free meals of curry and rice. Chemists, despite having their own home burning down and not having an electronic payment system, kept the pharmacy open. Businesses who saw a survivor, took no payment for clothes or meals. The wildlife volunteers. One woman gave the shirt off her own back looking for koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, to protect. The men who drove six hours with 30 kilograms of sausages to cook a barbecue for a devastated community. The convoys of trucks that took supplies through to communities that needed them, an army of angels that loaded 150 trucks of supplies and got them there. Those who knocked on doors and at no charge climbed on roofs and cleared the gutters of local homes. The families who opened up their own homes to strangers. And the children, cake stalls, lemonade stalls, giving away their pocket money and christmas money. Kids of this country give us every reason to hope. The generosity of the rest of the world was also so humbling. 70 nations offered its assistance. Over 300 firefighters sent from the United States, canada, and to new zealand to whom we are so grateful. We also had assistance from the uie which is greatly appreciated. Military assistance from new zee lar zealand, United States, singapore, zwra pjapan. A wonderful family in fiji. When the 54 engineers from the republic of Fiji Military forces arrived in melbourne, they placed their hands over their heart and sung a hymn, angels watching over me and they have been to us. Our pacific family has been so incredibly generous. Our neighbors have given generously from not much. Reminding me of the widows might to our bush fire relief. In the second largest city, the young people began a wheelbarrow push collecting donations and giving them to our consulate. Having stepped up for our family, were now being so blessed by seeing our closest neighbors step up for us. We are so grateful to our pacific family. The actions of every level of government have been kpemp exem. I pay tribute to our local governments who have all been doing exceptional work. I acknowledge the commissioner whos here today. Amazing job. In our own ranks, i want to acknowledge those wonderful workers, the electric staff, the members here. Not just the members that sit on this side, all members in this and the other place. And their teams who have worked under extraordinary pressure. As members of this place, were all so proud of our colleagues and what theyve done during this time and those who serve with them. Across government, there have been tremendous efforts a s want to acknowledge the standing contributions of australia and director general whos here with us today. Also pay tribute to the contribution of our Australian Defense forces. 6,500 personnel providing support in the field, at sea, from the air, defense bases and fireaffected communities going back to september of last year and continue day to day. That includes these reservists. The first compulsory callout of reserves in our history for these purposes. Compulsory callout will end this friday. The adf task force is led by Major General jake elwood, as hes known. Have been undertaking vital ontheground tasks like delivering emergency food and water, evacuating stranded people, reopening roads, restoring services, clearing debris, building fences and burying dead animals. This reflects the transition of adf support from assisting to save lives and properties to relief and recovery operations. Their sheer presence just presented such encouragement and boosted morale when australians so devastated could look up and see them near and they knew they were supporting. Theyll coronet to pntinue to p support wherever its needed for as long as its needed. Fulltime forces and nowvolunteer reservists. Recovery operations require a whole of government response and that is why we established the National BushFire Recovery agency under the leadership of former ifp commissioner. Its overseeing a National BushFire Recovery fund which will support all Recovery Efforts across australia over the next two years and for as long as it takes. Weve allocated initial and additional 2 billion to fund this agency to ensure families, farmers, businessowners, and communities hit by these fires get the support they need as they recover working closely with our colleagues and state and territory governments. Already the governors made major commitments providing funding, cleanup operations, tourism support, wildlife recovery, local government assistance, Small Business reconstruction, primary producers, family, grazers, families