The House of Representatives was the scene today of a moving condolence motion for victims of the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria.
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, was not in attendance, having stayed in Melbourne, but his deputy, Julia Gillard, visibly affected, gave a magnificent speech to a silent chamber. She was followed by the Opposition Leader, Malcolm Turnbull, who delivered an equally impressive and moving speech.
This is video of the Gillard and Turnbull speeches (31m)
Audio recordings of all speeches are shown below. Click on the relevant PLAY button to listen.
- Julia Gillard – Deputy Prime Minister
- Malcolm Turnbull – Leader of the Opposition
- Wayne Swan – Treasurer
- Julie Bishop – Deputy Leader of the Opposition
- Robert McClelland – Attorney-General
- Warren Truss – Leader of The Nationals
- Steve Gibbons, Member for Bendigo (ALP)
- Sharman Stone, Member for Murray (Lib)
- Catherine King, Member for Ballarat (ALP)
- David Hawker, Member for Wannon (Lib)
- Harry Jenkins, Speaker & Member for Scullin (ALP)
Members also spoke about the Queensland flood situation:
- Wayne Swan – Treasurer
- Warren Truss – Leader of The Nationals
- Tony Windsor – Member for New England (Ind) – on behalf of the independent member for Kennedy, Bob Katter.
