Mr GAVAN O'CONNOR (3:10 PM) —My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Deputy Prime Minister, do you recall that, while you were touring the fire ravaged Shoalhaven in January this year, you called for a federal-state summit to consider ways to best prepare and coordinate services in the event of another fire disaster? Can you confirm that, more than 10 months later and despite the acute fire danger that we now face, this summit has not taken place? Deputy Prime Minister, could you advise the House of the government's timetable for convening this summit?

Mr ANDERSON (Minister for Transport and Regional Services) —I thank the honourable member for his question. I certainly recall touring the area, and I did so with the extraordinarily active member for the region—who at that stage was Joanna Gash—who was at that stage herself a volunteer firefighter, which I think reflected very well on her. I will check the media reportage and transcripts of anything I actually said, but my quite clear recollection was—

Mr Fitzgibbon —What are you going to check it for if it is clear?

Mr ANDERSON —It is an important matter. I do not run away from that at all. The commitment I gave was to the effect that we would cooperate in seeking to draw together in areas where there might be seen to be an inadequate capacity to respond properly, nationally, in a coordinated and consistent way, to fire emergencies. I do not think I set out any prescriptions as to how that ought to be taken forward. I indicated that we would make available some resources and our full cooperation to seek a properly funded and coordinated way forward across the nation. To the best of my knowledge, that has been undertaken in no small way, fully adequately, by the minister for territories. I will check the wording but, again, I do not think I made any commitment to a summit. I think it is an interesting reflection on the Labor Party that they believe you cannot seek any way forward without a summit.