Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

On indulgence: I rise today in support of the Prime Minister’s remarks regarding the floods in South-East Queensland and the floods in northern New South Wales. It is worth contemplating and reflecting on the unpredictability of our weather in Australia, and I note that, until relatively recently, South-East Queensland was going through an unprecedented drought, with dams getting very close to empty. Just last week, as my colleagues the members for Moncrieff, McPherson and Fadden will attest, their communities received one year’s worth of rain in just three days. All of us saw the frightening pictures on the news of debris being hurled around in gale force winds which tragically resulted in the death of one man, and, of course, there was another life lost tragically as well. I join with the Prime Minister in giving our condolences to the families and friends of those two people who were killed.

There have been very many anxious moments over the weekend. The Prime Minister mentioned the efforts of his colleague the member for Page, and the New South Wales seat of our colleague the member for Cowper, adjoining Page, was also affected mightily. Hundreds of residents in Grafton, Maclean and Kempsey were evacuated from their homes. The levee banks in these communities were tested to their absolute limit. We should in this House pay tribute today to the incredible dedication, diligence and bravery of our emergency services personnel. Many of these men and women will be at, or near, the point of exhaustion in their struggle to deal with this challenge of getting vital supplies and emergency assistance to the affected areas. Almost all of them are volunteers and we extend the gratitude of this parliament and the nation to them for their tireless efforts.

The Australian spirit of mateship, generosity and self-sacrifice always shines through at times like this on so many occasions during these floods. I note, especially, the way in which the coastal community of Coffs Harbour made its example where its residents helped out their neighbours from the Clarence with food and a warm bed. Australians are strong and resilient people. We have an often capricious and certainly unpredictable climate. In times like this, as we have in the past, we must always stand ready to support and encourage our fellow Australians as they face these tough times.

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