Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

I support the remarks made by the Prime Minister on this the first anniversary of Cyclone Larry and also in relation to Cyclone George. It is precisely one year ago that Cyclone Larry smashed its way into Innisfail and the surrounding areas of Far North Queensland. Cyclone Larry did enormous environmental damage, social damage and economic damage. Winds of up to 290 kilometres per hour left thousands of people homeless. The cyclone trashed businesses and all but wiped out the banana industry. As the relief effort continues, I would like, on behalf of the opposition, to pay tribute to the people of Far North Queensland for their inspiring spirit and for never wavering in their determination to rebuild that community. It is a great spirit to watch in action.

I also pay tribute to the relief works which have been coordinated by General Peter Cosgrove and for the leadership that he has shown. I also pay tribute to the contributions which have been made to the rebuilding effort by both the state government of Queensland and the Commonwealth government. In addition, I pay tribute to the remarkable representational vigour of the federal member for Kennedy in ensuring that neither federal nor state governments forget what happened in that natural disaster.

Another terrible tragedy befell the nation recently, as the Prime Minister has just remarked, and that was the death and destruction wrought by Cyclone George. Again on behalf of the opposition, I support the Prime Minister’s remarks in support of those who have lost their lives, the scores of Australians who have been injured and those who have had their homes destroyed.

The violent and stormy winds unleashed by the cyclone resulted in unimaginable and unbelievable havoc in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. With howling winds at over 250 kilometres an hour, it was the most violent storm to hit that region, I am told, in 30 years. Temporary accommodation at Fortescue’s Pilbara railway was smashed, power lines were severed, phone lines were mangled, sewerage was cut off, homes were destroyed, trees were uprooted, towns and communities were torn apart and many were injured. Most devastating of all was the loss of three lives. Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families of Craig Raabe, Debra Till and Sydney Baker.

Cyclones are not rare in this country but the intensity of Cyclone George was. These events bring home the all too clear and unmistakable reality that we are all subject to the elements in this country and there is often very little that we can do, other than to prepare, rebuild and move on as best we can.

On behalf of the opposition, I welcome the assistance which has been provided by the state government of Western Australia and by the Commonwealth government. Once again on behalf of the federal opposition, I extend our condolences to the families who have lost loved ones. We also offer our support and thanks to the relief workers who are now at work seeking to repair their community and to restore the lives of the people in those communities to the greatest extent that is humanly possible.

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