QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Ms McBAIN (Eden-Monaro—Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories and Minister for Emergency Management) (14:24): I thank the member for Lingiari. She's a fierce advocate for her community, and her community has been severely impacted by floods and cyclones. Thank you for all the time you've spent with me in my office speaking about that.

We know Australia's experiencing increasingly frequent, severe and complex natural disasters, and it requires a coordinated response from all levels of government. And that's why the Albanese government supports all Australian communities to prepare for and respond to disaster. In just the last high-risk weather season alone, we saw 60 severe weather events, impacting more than 190 local government areas.

I saw firsthand the impacts on our communities, from Harcourt in Victoria and Dolphin Sands in Tassie to Julia Creek in Queensland and Katherine in the NT—homes and livestock lost, businesses closed and major infrastructure damaged. And, tragically, we lost community members, including first responders. Our government has made substantial investments in emergency management, from establishing the National Emergency Management Agency to create a single nationally coordinated— Mr Wallace interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order!

The minister will pause. The member for Fisher is returning to his bad habits, again, of continually— The member for Fisher then left the chamber. The SPEAKER: Thank you.

He has taken the cue that that sort of behaviour is disrespectful to the House—particularly as a former Speaker. We're not going to have random people just saying what they want, non-stop. He's had a good go this week, but everyone's got to draw a line in the sand with their behaviour.

Ms McBAIN: As I said, we've created the National Emergency Management Agency to provide a nationally coordinated agency to better prepare for, respond to and recover from disaster; we've got our $1 billion Disaster Ready Fund delivering disaster resilience and risk reduction across the country; we've created the National Emergency Management Stockpile, supporting the rollout of critical goods and services to communities quickly; we're delivering AusAlert, our new national emergency warning system, that sends near-instant emergency alerts to mobile devices; and we're investing more than $100 million in national aerial firefighting capability.

I was asked how this compares to other approaches. Well, those opposite ignored warnings from fire commissioners, they delayed and played politics with recovery support— Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order! Members on my left!

Ms McBAIN: and now you only have to look at the comments from the Leader of the Opposition in the media today to know nothing has changed. If there were a Rhodes scholar amongst us who had done a dissertation on bushfire management then they might be qualified to comment on how firefighters do their job, but there isn't. Opposition members interjecting— Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order!

The minister will just pause a moment. There was way too much noise. The minister can just resume her seat for a moment.

Thank you. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order? Mr Tehan: Yes.

It just goes to alternative approaches, Speaker. This is a ruling of Speaker Smith, who, as you know, like you, tried to be very balanced and fair on these things. Just because you're asked about alternative approaches does not mean that you can embark on a character assessment.

You're going to need to actually find an alternative policy approach that you can refer to that's relevant to the question that has been asked. I point you to that from Speaker Smith, Speaker. The SPEAKER: We'll hear from the Leader of the House.

Mr Burke: Mr Speaker, to the point of order: what the minister is responding to is completely consistent with what the Manager of Opposition Business just read out. It is extraordinary that the Leader of the Opposition made the comments about firefighters that he made, but they will be responded to. Ms Urquhart interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Braddon is warned.

I couldn't hear because of the interjections, so I'm just going to remind the minister she's entitled—she was asked a question about natural disasters and how this compares to other approaches. She was reading some information about a quote or some information, so she is being directly relevant. But I remind her and all members—if we're going to talk about character, Manager of Opposition Business—that we don't bring personal matters into the parliament, as I just said in the last question, at all.

Ms Plibersek: A minute ago. The SPEAKER: Order. We've just had that conversation.

So the minister needs to be directly relevant. She's entitled to state her claims that she's answering the question with, but I'll listen carefully to make sure she is following the standing orders. Ms McBAIN: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

As I was pointing out, the Leader of the Opposition stood at a precipice in front of people and pointed the finger at rural firefighters, saying that they let the 2003 Snowy Mountains bushfires run. That is absolutely shameful. I am disgusted, and so are the first responders who have come into my office to complain about it.

And I have a message for first responders. Mr Hamilton: Fucking bullshit! The SPEAKER: Order!

Everyone resume their seats immediately. I'm not sure what transpired there, but I'm going to ask everyone to reflect on their behaviours. The member for Warringah, on a point of order?

Ms Steggall: It's for the member for Groom to be named for unparliamentary behaviour. The SPEAKER: I can appreciate the member for Warringah's view, but I genuinely did not see what occurred. If there has been an incident before the parliament, I will review footage.

I will report to the House if necessary. I'm asking everyone to rise to the challenge of representing their electorates and showing more dignity in this chamber. I will inspect what happened.

I ask all members to please follow my lead. I ask the minister to conclude. Ms McBAIN: As I said, first responders have come into my office upset and unsure about why someone in a leadership position has said that they didn't do their job.

I spent a lot of time with first responders in my own community during the Black Summer, Tathra and Yankees Gap fires. My message to those first responders is our government has your back in the difficult decisions you have to make to keep us safe. The Leader of the Opposition should stand up, be a man and apologise now.

(Time expired)