The newly appointed Federal Minister for Emergency Management Senator the Hon Jenny McAllister chose a Rural Fire Service unit in the Black Summer Fire-ravaged Gilmore electorate for her first meet and greet with volunteers.
Hosted by Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips, Minister McAllister heard first-hand stories from the fire-line when she met with volunteers and enjoyed morning tea at the Manyana RFS shed on Friday.
Many of the volunteers were involved in fighting the Currowan Fire which devastated the region on 31 December 2019.
Minister McAllister said, “Manyana Rural Fire Service has been through the toughest of times. I was grateful to hear from local volunteers about their experience and service.”
“The Albanese Government has made it a priority to work with all partners to ensure Australia is better prepared and can respond more quickly to disasters,” she said.
“We are working hard to improve the resilience of our communities – so that we lessen the impact of future events.”
The minister said the planned new Manyana Rural Fire Service station to be built on Bendalong Road would will be part of that effort.
“It was great for the minister to take the time to talk to the volunteers in our area about their experiences on the front line, and about the important role the RFS plays in our communities,” Mrs Phillips said.
Minster McAllister also joined Mrs Phillips and State Member for South Coast Liza Butler for a tour of nearby Conjola Park where 89 homes were lost during the New Year’s Eve disaster.
They took the opportunity to visit the recently completed floating jetty in Yooralla Bay at Conjola Park which was funded under the $2.2 billion Commonwealth Black Summer Bushfire Recovery (BSBR) Grant Program.
“The residents of Conjola Park are still recovering and rebuilding. It’s a long, hard road,” Mrs Phillips said.
“The new jetty, playground and barbecue area provides an important meeting place where locals families can connect and it’s heart-warming to see this great facility in such a spectacular location.”
Minister McAllister said, “Conjola Park is still recovering, but I was pleased to be able to see the completed jetty, and hope it serves the community for years to come”.
“I was grateful to Fiona for her reflections on multiple disasters over the last couple of years.”
The Albanese and Minns Labor Governments are funding a new fire station at Manyana and a major upgrade to the Lake Conjola facility under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) package.
Main Photo: Federal Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister, Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips and State Member for South Coast Liza Butler met with RFS volunteers at Manyana last week.
Photo 2: State Member for South Coast Liza Butler and Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips gave Federal Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister a tour of Conjola Park, including the new floating jetty in Yooralla Bay.
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