Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Tropical Cyclone Debbie made landfall as a category 4 cyclone around midday yesterday, with destructive winds of up to 270 kilometres an hour. Right now, 1,200 men and women of the Australian Defence Force and thousands of other emergency workers are there, cleaning up the wreckage left by the cyclone, ensuring that the energy, the electricity, to 63,000 homes is restored and ensuring that Australians are safe and that they recover from this cyclone. Every other member of this House is committed to supporting those people of North Queensland, and the honourable member wants to take this occasion to make his own political point. Mr Speaker, that question was contemptible. Now is the time to pull together, as we all have—state and federal, opposition and government—and stand behind the people of North Queensland, putting the men and women of the ADF, the volunteers and the emergency workers first to keep them safe. That is our commitment.

Government members: Hear, hear!

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