Fed: Fires affected me this week: Fielding

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2009
Fed: Fires affected me this week: Fielding

CANBERRA, Feb 13 AAP - Family First senator Steve Fielding, who has had an emotional
week in the Senate grappling with the stimulus package, has revealed his work was affected
by the bushfires.

"It's overshadowed everything this week," the Victorian senator told reporters after
the package passed the Senate on Friday.

"To be frank, it has been very tough."

Senator Fielding gave several emotional speeches in the Senate as he expressed his
difficulties in deciding how to vote on the $42 billion stimulus package.

He said he had been deeply worried about his friends who lived in Marysville, who had
fought the fire and lost eight friends. He was also worried about his brother.

Senator Fielding raised the bushfires himself in a media conference, but said he did
not want to dwell on the issue.

He was pleased the stimulus package had finally passed the Senate because the country needed one.

But, he still believed the package was flawed.

Family First had lobbied very hard to secure more help for the unemployed, he said,
and an extra $200 million secured from the government would help.

AAP ca/cdh

KEYWORD: STIMULUS FIELDING

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