Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

On indulgence—no-one is more familiar with the changeable, unpredictable nature of Australian weather and the dangers it can pose than the people who call the tropical north home. But, even by their rugged standards, this was a dramatic event. When Cyclone Marcia made landfall near Shoalwater Bay it was a category 5 storm, one of only five in more than two centuries of record keeping. Cyclone Lam also threatened homes and livelihoods as it made landfall in the Northern Territory. We give thanks today that no-one lost their life in this wild weather.

I have visited coastal Queensland frequently and I have visited Gove and its surrounds many times. Everywhere you go in these places you meet warm and welcoming people, Australians happy to have a chat and share a laugh. In the face of adversity and in the midst of hardship, when disaster strikes the great character of those Australians shines through. We see it in the calm and cheerful courage of the SES, responding already to over 4,000 calls from assistance. We see it in the dauntless optimism of those returning to homes and businesses badly damaged by torrential rain, preparing to repair, rebuild and carry on. We see it in the instinctive generosity of Queenslanders and Territorians reaching out to help their neighbours, people whose first concern is the welfare of others. Once again, we are reminded that there is nothing quite as humbling as the resilience and resolve of everyday Australians.

Labor wish all those affected by the cyclones a safe and speedy return to their normal lives. On that note, in government I was grateful for the cooperation of our coalition members in working to resolve insurance issues created by flood damage. Labor stand ready to assist if help is required on the vexed issue of storm damage insurance.

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