George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is over 10 months, almost, since Cyclone Debbie crossed the coast in the Whitsundays. The problem is that not all the insurance claims have yet been settled and, along with that, there are still places that are damaged and that have not been fixed. We're currently in another cyclone season, and this is just not on. The level of cases has dropped. I, and other members of the community, particularly the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre, have been able to resolve a lot, but the industry response has been abysmal. It's been woeful. There have been problems with assessors, with builders and with all the rest of it, but, ultimately, it's in the hands of the insurance industry, though.

Another problem is worsening, and that's the problem of insurance premiums. It's affecting everywhere north of the tropic of Capricorn. The insurance industry told me the last time premiums rose that they were pricing the risk right. Well, if they were pricing the risk right then, why, after another cyclone, are premiums going up again?

I've got to say that there's fantastic work being done by members of the community, including Margaret Shaw and the Greater Whitsunday Alliance, but more needs to be done by government at all levels. We need to stop insurers from cherrypicking the market and force them back into North Queensland, so there is competition in the market and we can get fair prices for North Queenslanders.

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