Kirsten Livermore (Capricornia, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I think I might have come into debate the wrong motion because I thought it was about the Torres Strait Islands seawalls and remediation works that are needed to combat serious erosion and inundation—the same seawalls that the government have provided $12 million for in the last couple of weeks. In fact, we are now calling on the member for Ryan's colleagues in the LNP government in Queensland to match that funding and come on board, and be part of the solution, not continue to carp about the problem. I might also point out that, while the member for Ryan and others on her side of the debate are right to point out the very proactive approach of the Torres Strait Regional Authority and the Torres Strait Regional Council on this very important matter, the submission by the Torres Strait Regional Authority to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Water, Environment and the Arts inquiry into the effects of climate change on coastal communities pointed out that it was in fact the Queensland Labor Senator Jan McLucas who made a very impassioned plea back on 10 October 2006 to the former Howard government to take action on this issue. So I just point that out to members opposite, and I now return to the motion.

I was driving through my electorate a couple of weeks ago back from a terrific event at St Lawrence when I heard a report on the radio of the projects that were to be funded under this latest round of Regional Development funding. While I was a little disappointed that a project I was very supportive of in my own electorate had not been funded this time around, I was absolutely thrilled to hear that such a significant amount of funding was being made available to the Torres Strait Regional Authority. I mentioned the inquiry back in 2008 and 2009 when our climate change committee looked at the problems facing coastal communities, and in this case particularly Indigenous communities facing the impacts of climate change and possible sea level rise, and we heard at some length from the Torres Strait Regional Authority about the very serious issue of coastal inundation and erosion in all of the Torres Strait Islands. Six in particular were identified in their evidence. The Torres Strait Regional Authority did a terrific job of putting their case and outlining the extent of the problem, and urging remedial action. The government have come forward with $12 million towards this program of works. It is estimated that the entire program to safeguard those islands would come to $24 million, but any fair-minded person would recognise that $12 million pledged by the federal government is making a very serious attempt to play a positive role in addressing these problems. The $12 million will go to rebuilding or building seawalls and wave return walls, particularly on the most vulnerable islands of Boigu and Saibai. They were amongst the six islands that the Torres Strait Regional Authority described in evidence to our climate change committee. There has already been some significant damage to those islands. What comes up most often is the damage that has been suffered by the cemetery and to marine facilities on those islands. These seawalls will go a long way to reassuring the residents of the islands that they can continue to live safely and securely and that their community assets and their cultural heritage will be protected.

It is an example of how regional funding from this government can be made available to communities to meet their priorities. I call on the LNP government in Queensland to match this funding as a matter of priority. (Time expired)

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