Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

When the Commonwealth parliament rose last year, little did we know that Mother Nature would be at her most devastating over the Christmas recess. Floods, cyclones and bushfires have ravaged much of Australia, from the northernmost parts of our country to the southern pastures of Victoria and now across to our fellow countrymen in Western Australia. Australia has a long history of violent weather and the scale of the recent devastation has tested the resilience and power of endurance of the Australian spirit yet again.

We mourn the terrible loss of life. To the families of the 35 mothers, fathers, children or parents who lost their lives in the internal tsunami-like floods in Queensland: we grieve with you. I was in Townsville glued to the television watching the avalanche of water consume parts of Toowoomba and, like many who were not directly affected, seeking updates on the safety and wellbeing of my fellow Australians. It was gut-wrenching watching helplessly as people’s lives were literally washed away.

More recently in Victoria, a family in Shepparton lost their young son in floodwaters and our thoughts are with them. The heartbreak they must feel with their young son’s life being taken in the first flush of his youth cannot be imagined. To the family of the man who exemplified the Australian spirit and was helping out during Cyclone Yasi, falling from the roof during the pelting rain and winds: our heartfelt condolences. And for all those who are currently dealing with the ferocity of fires in the west: our best wishes are with you all. No less than 21 Victorian firefighters and two helicopters are now deployed in Western Australia trying to stem the ruthless tide of the fire on the ground.

The nation is behind all of those who are reeling from the loss of loved ones. We must make sure that we do everything we can through the hard days ahead to assist all those who have been affected. There are no words to ease the pain—if only there were. People should not have to stand alone when dealing with personal trauma, and Australians around the country are reaching out to provide what emotional and practical support they can. Houses can be rebuilt, roads and bridges can be reconstructed and water and energy supplies can be reconnected. Even whole communities, after considerable effort, can be put back in place, but we know that the most important thing in our lives, our loved ones, can never be replaced.

I am heartened but not surprised to witness the unprompted generosity and selfless help Australians have offered their friends, neighbours and even strangers in times of need. It is the Australian way—in times of adversity we stick together and do what we can to help. No questions asked: we just get on with the job. It is that thing which has been defined as mateship, which other nations admire but which we just know as being Australian. We have seen armies of volunteers cleaning the streets of Brisbane and other flood-ravaged places. Neighbours took flood mitigation into their own hands. I am reminded of the action of a local businessman in Warracknabeal, in Victoria, Mr Richard Wilkins, where the Yarriambiack Creek was threatening to breach its banks and flood the town. Mr Wilkins took charge and, with the support of the townsfolk, built a six-kilometre levee along the creek, which unquestionably saved the town. There are many such accounts and to these local Australians: I salute you.

This is the second flash flooding this year to affect parts of Victoria. To those who are doing it tough in Clunes and Creswick: our prayers are also with you. Many people in those two beautiful, historic towns have already waded knee deep in mud trying to restore their homes to right and they now face this soul-destroying task yet again.

Australians have opened their wallets along with their hearts. I understand that the Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal in Queensland has raised close to $200 million, highlighting the willingness of Australians to pitch in to support each other in times of need. This is something our nation indeed can be, and truly should be, proud of. Australians are always there to help out in times of crisis.

The coalition is fully committed to supporting those who have suffered hardship and loss. The question is not ‘if’ but how best to provide resources to rebuild this nation. Given that this government has a poor track record when it comes to fast spending that is targeted and has real value for the community, we must continue to hold it to account, especially now when we need a fast and well-targeted response to help flood victims all over the nation to rebuild their homes, farms, businesses and communities. Assistance needs to be fast, competent and effective. People do not need red tape and other unnecessary obstacles of inefficient systems and processes. A key part of reconstruction must be to do everything we can to get small business back on its feet in flood- and cyclone-affected areas.

This is one of the many lessons we have learned from Black Saturday, the consuming fire which wreaked a living hell on the people of Victoria two years ago and took the lives of 173 men, women and children. More than a hundred communities were devastated and over 2,000 properties destroyed. Today, two years after the inferno, life is still not back to normal for so many people. Although the clean-up has progressed and there are many signs of returning life, with the natural regeneration of local vegetation, the area is still deeply scarred from the tragedy. In many ways it is still ground zero for those who were directly affected.

I recently drove through Kinglake and Marysville and was disturbed to see how many people still live in sheltered accommodation. I was appalled to see how many construction sites were still unattended too—they were vacant; permits had not been granted—leaving big gaps of nothingness in townships which used to be filled with radiant liveliness. It was sad to witness the destruction which was still there and which might have changed the face of those communities forever.

When you talk to the Black Saturday survivors, you can only be impressed by their resilience and vigour, yet there is still much lingering sadness. It is scandalous when you hear accounts of the stultifying effect of red tape and how it is making it so difficult for people to resume life as they once knew it. There was a lot of goodwill shown to the former Brumby government to provide help; however, there was not always the proficiency to do it. Red tape, excessive bureaucracy and conflicting guidelines have delayed the rebuilding of lives and communities. A lack of grants and loans, particularly business loans, has also held up the recovery.

There is a lot that we can learn from the Victorian example—especially now, when this government is installing the Queensland recovery authority, which, according to the Prime Minister’s own words, will draw on the experiences of the Victorian authority set up in the wake of the 2009 bushfires. I hope that the authority learns from the mistakes made, given that the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority still has more than $100 million of donations unspent some two years after the tragedy. It is worth noting that the Prime Minister has turned to the former New South Wales coalition Premier and federal minister John Fahey to head up the reconstruction authority to ensure that proper processes are put in place. Difficult times are a true test of leadership—something we observed in the way in which the Queensland Premier acquitted herself through the challenges that faced Queensland and in the preparation for the onslaught of Cyclone Yasi. The real test, however, is before her in guiding that state’s recovery through the next couple of years.

I hope that Ms Bligh and the Prime Minister have read the report of the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, published six months ago. It concluded that the emergency coordination during Black Saturday was inadequate. There was a failure to oversee fire warnings, to create state-wide fire plans and a ‘disturbing tendency among senior fire agency personnel—including the chief officers—to consistently allocate responsibility further down the chain of command’. Consequently, one of the report’s key recommendations was to end this system of failure and to install a proper and effective chain of command.

I compliment the Queensland government on their recently introduced changes to the Disaster Management Act 2003 which altered the rules on when to declare a disaster. These amendments made it possible for state-assisted resources to be deployed to an area before a natural disaster actually struck. In Queensland’s final response to the Black Saturday royal commission, emergency services minister Neil Roberts wrote:

Our legislation also already clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of the Minister, local authorities, State Government Agencies and volunteers during disaster events.

It was a promising and encouraging statement; however, there is always room for improvement. Facing Cyclone Yasi, the residents of Tully were advised to seek shelter in a timber hall, which was later flattened by the cyclone, instead of seeking refuge in a brand new, $6.3 million, cyclone-safe sports facility nearby. Thanks to the quick thinking of a local Red Cross volunteer—yet another unsung Australian hero—people were moved to another, safer, building.

In the wake of all these disasters one thing becomes apparent: even the smallest community in Australia must prepare for the worst case and develop an emergency plan that goes hand-in-hand with a functioning chain of command that ultimately assumes all authority. This sounds easy, yet it is not always the case, as the 2009 Victorian bushfires so sadly demonstrated. I am mindful of the many lessons that can be learnt from Black Saturday and should be considered for other recovery efforts. We must discuss measures to reduce the ongoing risk—new dams, better building standards, state insurance cover for infrastructure and building permits, to mention just a few—but most of all we must listen to the affected people on the ground because they know best what it is that they need. We must offer them a one-stop shop with flexible solutions, a minimum of red tape and high standards for value-for-money criteria. With a functioning and powerful chain of command in place this is all possible.

In conclusion, I thank the emergency response teams, the Defence men and women, the police and fire brigade officers, the local authorities and, most of all, the volunteers, who have no collective voice but who are certainly mighty in numbers. Your support to all those in need has been inspirational and I am sure has provided much comfort to the thousands who have been affected.