Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to offer my condolences following the series of natural disasters that beset our nation this summer and to endorse the comments of my colleagues. I also want to comment on Senator Joyce’s very evocative description of what it was like on the ground in St George, which fortunately, in relative terms, was spared from the worst of it. I think the fact that the worst of times brought out the best in people says something about the Australian spirit of mateship and about people all doing their best to help each other.

The scale of the natural disasters we have faced has been such that many of us have struggled to put them into perspective. How do you quantify this much suffering? Does an appropriate method even exist? There are things that you can observe—regions affected, houses and businesses lost and, most tragically, lives lost. But even those shocking facts do not quantify the impact that natural disasters have had on those affected both directly and indirectly. I would like to offer my sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones both in the Queensland floods, in the aftermath of the Victorian flood and also in relation to the life lost during Cyclone Yasi. I would like to make specific mention of the people of Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley area who seemed to be hit without warning and, as a result, incurred the most fatalities and loss. I would also like to offer my support for the families of the nine individuals who are still listed as missing. I cannot imagine what you are going through. I just want to say that our thoughts are with you as you endure this terrible period of waiting.

The floods in Victoria and New South Wales have been slightly overshadowed by the events in Queensland but their impact has been just as devastating to those affected, and I would like to specifically commend Premier Baillieu for the support he has given to his state during this crisis. And then came the cyclone—it is extraordinary to think that three-quarters of Queensland was declared a disaster zone due to flooding before Cyclone Yasi even struck, decimating parts of Far North Queensland. I visited the region only a few weeks before the cyclone with the member for Kennedy. I went to Innisfail, Tully, Atherton Tablelands and all around there. Like most Australians, I watched on with great trepidation as the ferocious Cyclone Yasi approached the coast near Cairns. I think like many people I kept tuning in that night, waiting to see what would occur and watching the live coverage. When viewing the aftermath in the media, I genuinely felt it was a miracle that there were so few fatalities. This was testimony to the preparedness of so many people in that region. But we should all remember that, while the initial impacts of these disasters have passed, their effects will last for many years. News cycles might move on, but it is a lot harder for the victims of these disasters to move on. Yesterday was the second anniversary of Victoria’s horrendous Black Saturday bushfires, during which 173 people died and 414 were injured. Two years on, I think it is worth noting that only half the houses that were lost have so far been rebuilt. Getting back on your feet takes time; it also takes money.

Later this week and in subsequent weeks, there will no doubt be significant discussions about the cost of rebuilding, who should pay and how they should pay. This occasion is not the time for those discussions. But one thing we can all agree on is that every state in need must receive the support required to get them back on their feet. We can question who should pick up the tab but no-one should doubt that the tab must be picked up and quickly. I think we also need to accept that natural disasters are likely to become more common—and that view is not just coming from environmentalists; it is also coming from global re-insurance firms who are factoring a more dangerous and volatile climate into their calculations and risk projections. As a parliament, we too need to expect an increase in natural disasters and to factor that into our planning. We need to be ready to deal with not just this disaster but whatever Mother Nature throws at us in the future.

I would like to conclude by commending Queensland Premier Anna Bligh for the comfort and leadership she has given Queenslanders during this terrible period. Politics can be a thankless job and politicians do get kicked from time to time, and sometimes justifiably. That is why it is important to balance criticism with praise where appropriate. But today is a time to commiserate and to praise only, and I would like to praise Premier Bligh for the way she has helped the people of Queensland to prepare for and endure the floods and Cyclone Yasi. Having spoken to people in Queensland, there is little doubt that the Premier’s actions have made a tangible difference to many during the crisis.

We live in a land of environmental extremes. I believe man has had an impact on global conditions. The fact is that, when it comes to individual events, we cannot stop a cyclone and we cannot stop a flood. So we need to focus on being ready to deal with these disasters before they occur and with the cost of any aftermath. We might plan for the impact, but have we planned properly for the aftermath? For this parliament, that means the work is only just beginning. I commend this motion and again give my condolences to all those affected.