CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Mr McCORMACK (Riverina) (16:30): Volunteers are the backbone of our communities. Whether they're regional or in capital cities, they keep Australia ticking. I want to pay special acknowledgement and recognition to some wonderful community members from the little village of Woodstock and from Kangaroo Flat who have given so much to the Rural Fire Service over so many years.

I mention 10-year veterans Glenn Daley, James Garling, Emma-Louise Wood, Simon Wood, Brett Dawes and Lachlan Graham; with 20 years service, Robert Moodie, Roslyn Morris, Max Morris and Philip Dresser; with 30 years, John Cooley and Barrie Mumberson; with 40 years, Christopher Rowston; and—wait for this—with 50 years in the RFS, Colin Drury and David Ware. They were acknowledged last week with medals—medals that they didn't want to receive; they don't do it for acknowledgement.

They do it to protect lives and to save communities. I tell you what, come summer, you want one of those RFS people if your property or your house catches fire. You want one of them to come with their truck, their hoses, their service and their dedication and commitment.

Last week, on Wednesday, the new Woodstock fire brigade station opened, and we thank the New South Wales government and the former coalition government for providing the funding for that. But we also give thanks for the handover of a tanker to the Kangaroo Flat brigade. It's these RFS volunteers who are the backbone of our communities.

But a word of warning—we are coming into a fire season which looks to be pretty bad, with the fuel load built up. Also, recently, Yass Valley Council got a report saying that veteran members of the RFS and experienced aviators are refusing to fly near giant net-zero projects for fear of crashing into wind turbines, leaving volunteer fire crews worried that they'll be sitting ducks during major blazes.

This is of great concern. It really, truly is. Aerial firefighting support pilots are refusing to fly near these giant projects, for fear of crashing into them.

A report handed to Yass Valley Council and peer reviewed by veteran members of the RFS and experienced aviators has also flagged very serious fire management concerns once hundreds of wind turbines and transmission lines are installed in the local area. The project between Binalong and Bowning will have 90 towers nearly as high as One Barangaroo—260 metres high.

That's what they're going to be littering this area with. This is because of the rushed renewables rollout. This is really concerning the RFS.

Let's not forget they are volunteers. If they're concerned, then we should be concerned. If they're putting out the warning, we should be warned.