Ewen Jones (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When Cyclone Yasi bore down on the North Queensland coast it was the biggest storm ever seen in Australia. The cyclone front stretched the full 400 kilometres between Townsville and Cairns. It is well documented that Cardwell and Tully took a bullet for Townsville and Cairns that night and we thank them so very much for their resilience. As the threat grew the northern beaches had to be evacuated. I went out there on the morning of its arrival to see the suburbs of Toolakea, Saunders and Bushland Beach all but empty. What struck me was that there was nowhere to go if you do not already know someone. If you were a tourist staying at a caravan park, you had very little chance to bunker down with a friend.

Cyclone evacuation centres had been promised by the Beattie state government but none were delivered. It is not a federal government function to deliver cyclone evacuation centres, but I was talking to Senator Gary Humphries, who did such a great job for me during this natural disaster. He noted that the federal government played no part in disaster readiness but could expend billions in response.

I had also been to the new Townsville suburb of North Shore. They are now developing a village green style community centre and clubhouse, which would play host to cricket and AFL. I asked what it would take to bring that to a cyclone evacuation centre standard for around 1,000 people. They said it could probably be done for around $3 million, keeping in mind that a cyclone evacuation centre, in its entirety, costs around $8 million. So why not use a little serendipity to our best advantage? Serendipity is an aptitude for making desirable discoveries purely by accident. Here we have the perfect scenario. Here we have a community centre being developed and the federal government could add to that facility and create an entirely new purpose for a great community facility.

In my northern beaches suburbs, there is a complete dichotomy of the city of Townsville. There are millionaires' mansions on the hill, rural acreage blocks, working farms, suburban blocks, new homes and old homes. At a recent listening post at Bluewater State School, a lady came up to me and said that she had lived there for 38 years. Her needs were not all that great but she did appreciate that the northern beaches were at last getting some attention. Just up the road, there is Bluewater Caravan Park. Some people live there all summer and longer. All these people need a place to go in times of trouble. If we are to reduce taxpayers' exposure and reduce waste, surely this exercise is worthwhile. This centre would never take over from the Deeragun Community Centre, which facilitates meetings of a multitude of groups from all over the northern beaches. It is, however, very small by comparison and landlocked for any real expansion. The housing development to Townsville's north is exponential. What they need is a government that will look after their taxable dollars and get them the best result. It will be my aim to ensure that the northern beaches' requirements are fought for by a committed member of parliament.

On the other side of town lies Brolga Park, home to Townsville football—or soccer to people of my generation. Each and every weekend some 4,500 families attend this major Townsville sporting facility to play football across 15 different clubs, from the under sixes to seniors. It is used all year round for carnivals and school competitions. Built mainly by volunteer labour, the facilities badly need an upgrade. There are no suitable changing rooms for visiting teams or home teams. While it certainly does not worry the children who play the game, it is not the best look for a city which boasts sporting excellence. To be able to play and train on a weatherproof field is so very important to North Queensland's sporting teams. When we do get a big wet season, playing fields in Townsville can be out of action for a number of months, not weeks or days. To be a professional facility we need to update amenities. Parents and mothers need more than a shady tree and a wooden seat. They need an inviting, comfortable community space where families want to spend much of their weekend. This, in turn, would encourage participation in sport. In an age where sport is such an important part of a child's development, we must foster and encourage them to not only try a team sport but also stick at it. Again, this is about developing my community; it is about working for what Townsville needs, not just wants. This is about the development of the north's people and the north's people are our greatest resource.