What did former Prime Minister Tony Abbott; the former leader of the Nationals, Peter Ryan, in Victoria, Christian Stefani, a council officer; Darren Chester and myself, Russell Broadbent, have in common, along with Vern and Cheryl Suckling, Brian and Alma Mattingly, Paul Macphall, Eddy Fowler and Rocco Maruzza, deceased sadly. It's the Long Jetty at Port Welshpool. Every one of those people had something to do with the creation of the Long Jetty at Port Welshpool. I was advised by a friend of mine the other day that it's shoulder to shoulder on the Port Welshpool pier at the moment.
This was an investment of $4.9 million by the Government, adn it's an $11 million development. The fish and chip shop, you can't get into, the local store is rocking, the pub is having a whale of a time, there's nowhere to park - the council have to put in more parking. There's nowhere to go to the toilet, because it's 600 metres away. The council are going to have to put in a new toilet. This is the greatest economic boost to this area we have ever had. That means they're going to keep their primary school and the kindergarten will stay open. These things are important to small communities.
This is one of the best things, in my political time in this House, that we have ever done. The Port Welshpool Long Jetty I reckon you could see it from the moon, but the best part of it is this: I always wanted disabled people to be able to get in their wheelchair, go down and have a fish, and that's exactly what they can do now if they can find a space to get in and have a fish. This is a great project. Thanks to the whole of the Parliament.
Remembering Black Saturday - with the blood of the victims, the ash of the forest and the sweat of those facing the foe, when drowned in our tears, new life did spring forth.
Until the new dawn, when the sun would rise over the southern hills of the Great Dividing Range to a clear smokeless sky, there was work to do.
We did care for men, women and little children. We did suppress the fires and communities were rebuilt. And most of all we had a lot of grieving to do and grieve we did. We grieved arm in arm, hand in hand, tear drop by blood filled tear drop.
Ten years on we remember you broken families, deeply wounded, still grieving daily for those lost. Haunted by the devastation, defenceless to its ferocity, the hopes, dreams and futures of thousands of Victorians reduced to smouldering ash, in an hour to be washed away forever by the autumn rain.
You who grieve this day, not one of us in this place dare walk in your shoes, nor try to understand, only fellow travellers can chance that.
Please accept this meagre offering, though we do not know your name, we do know you are there, and want you to know that we care.
When writing this piece, Ivan Smith was the incident controller at the Grantville fire, he was there on Ash Wednesday and Black Saturday. God bless you Ivan, and Gwen for supporting him.