Ian Ronald Symons is a man I loved the first time I met him. He was the regional officer for region 8 for the CFA. He was liaison officer with the shire council's fire prevention committee. He was also instrumental in calming the waters in difficult times. You know in tough times, which Ash Wednesday was, Ian Symons took the lead role in our community from the fire service perspective. My respect for him grew every day as I saw him not only handle the difficult fire situation we were facing and the deaths we were facing and the trauma that the community was facing but how he managed to bring people together. He was just awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal after a long, long career with the CFA. He is greatly loved. He is still working with his community in many ways.
I tabled a document in this House not long ago from an anonymous person—I think I now know who that anonymous person might have been—with his great and amazing knowledge of where the nation should be going and what we should be doing in regard to the fires that we have confronted in the past and, sadly, we will confront into the future again. There are things we can do if we follow dear Mr Ian Ronald Symons' way. He has been a great advocate not only for himself and the CFA but for the broader community. Thank you.
