Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too would like to support this condolence motion. Madam Deputy Speaker D’Ath, in late December 2010 and into early 2011, significant flooding occurred in your home state of Queensland. Like many others, I watched in horror day in, day out as our television sets showed towns being engulfed by water. As you would appreciate, it dominated the news, both print and electronic media, as people were transfixed, watching in disbelief. To some extent it is a little reminiscent of what occurred two years ago in Victoria: Monday was the anniversary of the bushfires. As one of my sons pointed out to me, watching the flood coverage he felt the same wave of emotion that he experienced when the twin towers went down.

This is something that has had such an impact on all of us. I think the member for Calare is right that floods will occur from time to time. But sometimes they happen when you cannot appreciate them or you are not prepared, and sometimes—as has clearly occurred in this instance—they lead to outright devastation. That is not what we normally talk about when we talk about floods. The Queensland floods are now being seen as this country’s worst national disaster. We saw it unfold in front of our eyes, so it is only right that it has had such an impact on the national psyche, and I would like to talk a little bit about how that is reflected in our communities.

In late December we saw the disaster unfold. We were hoping, at least coming up to New Year’s Day, that that was last year and we were looking forward to the sunshine—but that just did not happen. All up, 35 people lost their lives from late November through to the conclusion of the flood situation. What occurred on 10 January with the flash flooding throughout the Lockyer Valley was called—I do not know who coined the phrase; I had never heard it before—an inland tsunami. How accurate! Again, it defied belief. We have heard the horrific stories, such as of the young fellow who rescued his sister by putting her up in the roof, while his mother and father vanished. It became very real to us all of a sudden. Courtesy of modern media, we become and feel part of the situation.

My heart goes out to all those families who lost loved ones and whose loved ones are missing. Many people in Queensland stared at their houses realising that their life’s work and a lifetime’s worth of memories were gone. It is very hard to contemplate that. Yet the people of Queensland showed enormous courage and strength. They came together as an extended family and lent emotional and physical support to one another, particularly those who lost the most.

Over that period of time, Madam Deputy Speaker D’Ath, I had the opportunity to speak to you on a number of occasions in Queensland and I know the efforts that you were going to personally to help others in your community. It did not matter on what side of politics we were, most of us had the opportunity to talk to people who were involved and we know the work that was being undertaken. Differences have been set aside and people were, and are, united in a common interest to rebuild. Some of that rebuilding will be of infrastructure but a lot of the effort will go to rebuilding lives and communities.

I have great respect and admiration for our Queenslanders, though I may not show it all that much in the rugby league season. The strength that I have witnessed—the resolve, the commitment and the sheer stoic resolution of the people of Queensland not to be beaten—is something to be admired. I would also like to acknowledge the heroic and selfless work undertaken by the men and women of the police and the various emergency services, both the paid and voluntary services, and by the military personnel. Many risked their lives to battle the waters to rescue fellow Australians. The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, the Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh, my colleagues from, I emphasise, both sides of the parliament that I have had the opportunity to talk to over that period, and the local mayors and councillors showed a commitment and a resolve in the face of what is now seen as Australia’s worst natural disaster—a resolve which the rest of us can only stand and be humbled by. When the events came without warning, we saw that the authorities, the police and the SES acted immediately. Where events could be predicted, they worked tirelessly to ensure all that could be done was done to minimise the damage to property and communities and to prepare communities for the onslaught. Right across Australia, and internationally as well, people were asking what they could do to help.

As you know, Madam Deputy Speaker, I live in what is, according to the ABS, the most multicultural electorate in the country. I would like to take a bit of time to explain how it impacted on them and what they did. The Fowler community were no different to residents of any other area. They certainly were affected. They were glued to their televisions. They rolled their sleeves up very quickly to get involved and do what was necessary. When Premier Bligh said, ‘What we need is help and financial help,’ they did that.

I was very touched by a comment by the head organiser for the Golden Heart 2 Heart charity dinner, Dr Vinh Binh Lieu, who advised me that there is a very famous Vietnamese saying that goes something like this: ‘When you eat the fruit, have regard for those who planted it.’ He told me that, a little over 35 years ago, Australia opened its arms and provided protection and support for the people of Vietnam who were escaping the tyranny of communism, and now, seeing Australia in trouble, it was the responsibility of the Vietnamese community to give something back. The event that he organised one Saturday evening about two or three weeks ago was a great success. It raised $145,000. I would like to acknowledge all the 10 associations that formed the organising committee. Special thanks must go to Lim Chieu, the owner of Maxims wedding reception and function centre, who not only donated his centre but also provided the staff and all the food free of cost for the event.

I also acknowledge Andrew and Kim Tang and their daughter Katie, who own Danielle Fashion, who donated $7,000, which was half the profits from the weekend takings of their shop in Cabramatta.

The Vietnamese religious leaders have asked that people be generous, and they have been. Father Paul Van Chi called upon the Vietnamese Catholic community in New South Wales, and they raised $40,000 from a collection for the Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal. The Phuoc Hue Buddhist temple is also raising money for the Queensland flood appeal and is hosting a massive charity luncheon.

Vietnam Sydney Radio, who I have had the opportunity to speak to, started a phone-in, and in one week they raised $40,000 for the appeal. The New South Wales VCA committee has organised a fundraising dinner which will be held on 18 February. Special thanks go to the owners of the Crystal Palace Function Centre, who are donating the centre, the staff and the food, with all moneys raised going to Queensland flood relief.

Vietnamese Community in Australia were also actively fundraising over the three-day Tet festival last weekend, which was very hot. They were out fundraising the whole time, notwithstanding the 42-degree heat. Their organiser said to me, ‘This is something that we need to do to show the people of Queensland that it is our turn to give.’

Vietnam Vision, a group of doctors that provide medical services to underprivileged people in Vietnam, put on a barbecue last Sunday in Cabramatta. Just on that Sunday afternoon, they raised $5,000.

The East Timorese Chinese community also had their annual New Year’s celebration over the weekend. The event was organised by their president, John Phillip Jong, who decided everything that was raised would go to the Queensland flood appeal. They raised $10,500 that evening.

The Cambodian community, which I should have mentioned a little earlier, put on a charity function in Cabramatta and raised $63,500. Special thanks go to Ms Thida Yang from the Salvation and Cambodian Culture Association and Ms Lina Tjoeng from the Khmer Community of New South Wales for organising such a successful function, along with about 15 other Cambodian associations, which I am just not able to mention here at the moment.

During the Cardinal Stepinac Australia Day Appeal, the Croatian community raised $30,000. Special thanks go to Matt Smolcic, the Cardinal Stepinac Village CEO, for what they have done in that respect.

The youth of the area have also been heavily involved, with the Fairfield-Cabramatta Police Citizens Youth Club raising significant money through a barbecue. I thank the organiser of that, Tony Fornasier, and all the young people who participated.

The New South Wales Indo-China Chinese Association held a New Year’s celebration lunch on the weekend, which I attended. I thank the president, Mr To Ha Huynh, and Fairfield councillor Mr Dennis Huynh. Again, they decided to donate everything they raised, which was $20,000. It has all gone to the Queensland Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal Fund. I thank all those groups for their generosity. It shows that we in Sydney—or New South Wales, or anywhere else in Australia—do not just say, ‘That was bad, but that’s Queensland’s issue.’ Everybody, including the newest of our Australians, decided it was their issue. They see themselves as fellow Australians, and when the chips were down it was their responsibility—and, as they put it to me, their obligation—to help.

In closing, my thoughts are with the families of Queensland. It is just so cruel that Mother Nature has rendered this blow to the Queensland community. The suffering that has been occasioned through the flooding and the cyclone is something for which, unless you are there, you do not have the same degree of appreciation. But we can all feel what it does to the community. I know that the Prime Minister is resolved to rebuild Queensland, and I strongly believe that we as a government will do everything we can do to support Queensland in its time of need. The people of Fowler feel the pain of those people in Queensland. In my diverse community we will continue to do what we can to show our support for Queenslanders, because we too are Australian.

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