ACT: Stanhope tells inquest he relied on advice during bushfires

AAP General News (Australia)
04-20-2004
ACT: Stanhope tells inquest he relied on advice during bushfires

By Peter Jean

CANBERRA, April 20 AAP - ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope today told the ACT Coroners
Court he relied on the advice of his officials during the January 2003 Canberra bushfires.

Mr Stanhope told the inquest into the fires, which killed four people and destroyed
491 homes in the ACT, that he had no knowledge of bushfires.

He said he had not believed in the lead-up to the January 18 firestorm that there was
more than a theoretical possibility that bushfires would affect Canberra.

He said he had relied on the expert advice provided by the ACT Emergency Services Bureau (ESB).

"I am not an expert in fires," Mr Stanhope said.

"I have no knowledge around fires or bushfire behaviour."

Two days before the January 18 firestorm an ACT cabinet meeting was told the suburbs
of Western Creek and Dunlop were the most likely to be affected if the fires reached the
urban fringe of Canberra.

But Mr Stanhope said he had not gained the impression from the cabinet briefing or
from advice he had received earlier in the week that there was a real possibility bushfires
would reach urban Canberra.

"It is the truth that at no stage did I in my imagination, nor was it put to me, that
properties in the suburbs of Canberra were at real risk from the fires," Mr Stanhope said.

He said no-one at the cabinet meeting had asked ESB officials what the chances were
of the fire impacting on Western Creek and Dunlop.

Cabinet was told there was a possibility fires in Namadgi National Park could disrupt
up to 90 per cent of the ACT's power supply, requiring the declaration of a state of emergency.

Mr Stanhope said it had not been considered necessary to advise the public of the risk
to the power supply or the possibility Dunlop and Western Creek could be impacted by fires.

Outside court, Mr Stanhope revealed no-one from ESB had contacted him on January 18
to advise him of the progress of he fires.

He decided to attend ESB headquarters, where he later declared a state of emergency.

He said he now believed ESB officials should have contacted him about the fire situation
on January 18.

"I now regret enormously that that decision and other decisions weren't taken," he
told reporters.

The inquest continues.

AAP pj/jg/jv/de

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES ACT

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