Yvette D'Ath (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On indulgence: I rise in support of the comments that are being made by my Queensland colleagues. This is one occasion that I rise to speak but I do not say that it is a pleasure to do so. It would be much better if we did not have to give condolences about the loss of life and the damage that has occurred in North Queensland. We in Queensland know that we have a wet season and that it comes every year; we expect it. But that does not make the cyclones and the devastating floods any easier for the people of Queensland, the people of Australia and those who are directly affected by these devastating floods. In fact, the floods that have occurred recently in North Queensland have resulted in as much as 62 per cent of Queensland being declared a natural disaster flood area. To put that into perspective, I heard recently that that is an area about the size of South Australia. It is hard to fathom that sort of area being under water. Of course, much of the major flooding has occurred around Ingham and around Herbert River.

There has been loss of life since the flooding season began in November 2008—too much loss of life. We need to do more to educate people about the risks associated with flooding, whether they are from playing in swollen creeks, in river beds or just in stormwater drains. There are too many lives lost as a consequence of the sorts of activities that, at the time, people young and old think are fun but which certainly lead to dire consequences for them and their families.

Just as we have heard in the last day or two that the threats of fire continue to exist in Victoria, the threats of flooding continue to exist in North Queensland. It is true to say that, in the areas of Ingham and those worst hit, the water is starting to recede but, as recently as this morning, there were flood warnings being issued for areas such as the Georgina River and Eyre Creek, the lower Flinders and the Norman river systems, the lower Diamantina River, the lower Thomson River and Cooper Creek. So the risks continue to exist, and we need to assist those people on the ground as much as possible so that, if they need to evacuate their homes prior to those rivers bursting their banks, they have help to do so.

We also need to assist in the clean-up process, which is going to be long and difficult. Although these homes may still be standing, they are severely damaged. The belongings inside people’s homes cannot merely be cleaned; they need to be destroyed and replaced. Many people in the Ingham area have reported that they have scrubbed and scrubbed their homes but they are still reeking, and there is a real, legitimate concern that there may be health consequences arising from the floodwaters having gone into these homes.

It is not just people’s homes that are being damaged. People’s jobs are being affected and people’s businesses have been lost as a consequence of these floodwaters. And, of course, the wet season is not over yet—there is more to come. It is pleasing to know that the state Premier has set up a disaster relief appeal fund and that the Prime Minister has already announced funds to go to the relief of both the Victorian fire victims and the Queensland flood victims. In addition to that, we know that people across Australia are digging deep to support people who have been affected by these devastating floods.

In Queensland especially we are acutely aware of the fact that we need to be providing financial relief and food, clothing and other necessities to people in the north, just as we are doing in the south. I have certainly had many people come to me asking how they can assist in relation to Victoria and North Queensland. One thing that we should look at for those people who still want to give those goods—when we know that the Red Cross are asking for people to stop sending certain goods down south because they cannot store them anymore and, right now, they are after financial assistance—is whether they could be used up north in Queensland.

So far, in north and north-west Queensland, the early damage estimate for flooding exceeds $190 million. At its peak in Ingham, the number of homes with external inundation numbered 2,900, and more than 50 of those had floodwaters through their living areas. Sixty people were evacuated to emergency accommodation at Ingham State High School at the peak, and in Karumba and Normanton 17 homes suffered from inundation and nine of those homes are flooded throughout. However, the number of claims and the full financial impact of this disaster will, of course, only be known once waters recede and repairs begin.

I would like to pass on my personal thanks to the Queensland police, Emergency Management Queensland, the SES and the Department of Communities, along with community volunteers and local councils. Emergency service workers, Ergon and government and non-government agencies such as the Salvation Army, Lifeline and the Red Cross have been invaluable and are doing amazing work in relation to the Queensland floods. This year the SES has taken 2,388 callouts already and, as I said, I do not think we have seen the end of that as yet.

I would also like to, on behalf of myself and my family, pass on my condolences to all of those who have lost loved ones and who have lost livelihoods and their homes to these floods. It would certainly be remiss of me to not also pass on at this time my condolences to all those who have been affected in the Victorian fires and those who are still facing dangers as a consequence of ongoing fires.

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