Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, I rise to provide the House with an update on the Queensland flooding situation. In recent weeks and months Queenslanders have faced severe storms, tropical cyclones and extensive flooding. Today, 62 per cent of Queensland is under water and 35 shires have been declared eligible for disaster assistance. The damage bill is over $100 million and is climbing. In Ingham, the Herbert River is over 12 metres. I understand that many homes have been significantly damaged by floodwaters. A number of towns across the state are now completely isolated, and it is not over yet. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast that more rain and another tropical cyclone are on the way.

The government has been monitoring the situation closely. Last night I spoke with the Queensland Premier, who shared the devastating impact of the flooding across the state with me. The Premier informs me that Queensland’s disaster management system is now in full swing. The government is currently providing a range of assistance to Queensland and I confirm our readiness to provide additional assistance should it be required. Commonwealth financial assistance is already being provided under the natural disaster relief and recovery arrangements, the NDRRA, to assist with emergency food, accommodation, essential repairs and hardship grants. This morning the Australian government’s disaster response plan, COMDISPLAN, was activated to enable our defence forces to transport aviation fuel from Townsville to Ingham to assist in supporting rescue and relief efforts. The Commonwealth stands ready to provide additional assistance to Queensland should the state government’s resources become exhausted.

On behalf of all Australians I offer our thoughts and our prayers to all those Queenslanders affected today by these floods.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, I rise today in support of the Prime Minister’s remarks regarding the floods in North, Far North and north-west Queensland. Honourable members would be aware that Cyclone Charlotte, which crossed the coast coming in from the Gulf of Carpentaria earlier this year, was followed this last week by Cyclone Ellie, which authorities are anxiously monitoring, concerned that it may reform in the next 24 to 48 hours. These enormous downpours have resulted in rail, roads and many towns being cut off. The town of Ayr, the hometown of opposition spokesperson for Northern Australia, Senator Ian Macdonald, has today been cut off from road and rail. Earlier this week, as the rain poured, the senator remarked that volumes of water the equivalent of Sydney Harbour itself were poring over the Burdekin dam and down the Burdekin River not far from where he lives. Karumba, a fishing port in the Gulf which has become a popular tourist destination, has been isolated except for by helicopter for six weeks. We are told that this may continue for another month. Townsville has been cut off by road in all directions, and last night a freighter left Townsville for Cairns to deliver supplies.

We in this House pay tribute today to the incredible dedication, diligence and bravery of our emergency services personnel. Many of these men and women will be at or near the point of exhaustion in their struggle to deal with the challenge of getting vital supplies and emergency assistance to the affected areas. Most of them are volunteers, and we extend the nation’s gratitude to them for their tireless contribution. Australians are strong and resilient people and as we know there are none stronger or more resilient than those who live in the north of our great nation. They know that nature can be fickle. As Senator Macdonald said earlier in the week, they have learnt how to live with these natural calamities; it is part of the wet season and they know how to deal with it. But the nation too pulls together behind them and supports them as they respond to these natural disasters and supports them and honours them for their heroism and for their hard work.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, I thank the House and would like to join with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in their remarks about the flooding in north Queensland. It is an extraordinary commentary on the climate of our great continent that so much of Australia is enduring incredible heat, that the rivers in the Murray and in the south are dry and that much of our country is drought declared, yet 62 per cent of Queensland is flooded. The Gulf rivers join from one to the other; there is water in abundance but it is not where people want it, when they want it.

The people of those regions respond stoically to these kinds of circumstances. We have seen pictures on our televisions of people in towns like Ingham and thereabouts battling the floodwaters through their homes. I have also seen appalling pictures of the loss of livestock across the Gulf and the hardship that is being endured by many people through those regions. Our hearts are certainly with those people. I commend the Prime Minister on his announcement today of the willingness of the government to provide support wherever they can. He can be assured of the support of the whole of the parliament in those initiatives. The people in these more remote parts of Australia particularly appreciate assistance when it comes. Whilst they will fend for themselves bravely as they always do, it is important to them to also know that they have the support of the people in this parliament, the government and the people of Australia.

Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, very briefly, I thank the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the National Party for their words. I would also like to acknowledge the work of Emergency Management Australia. A number of officers remained awake around the clock, as one or two of us did last night. I would also like to thank the Australian defence forces, and acknowledge that my colleague the Minister for Defence, whose company I enjoy in this House, has been of tremendous assistance in that respect.

While we have focused this day on the floods, we should also recognise the tremendous work of all governments and also all agencies in respect of the devastating bushfires that have recently confronted Victoria. Again, there is an indication, as is always the case in Australia, of cross-party support, of cross-government support, working with volunteers and very impressive professionals to assist Australians to cope with these sorts of natural disasters.