Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to take note of the answer given by Minister Cormann to the question asked by Senator Wong. Today is a tough day for Queensland, and tomorrow will be even tougher. I want to thank Minister Cormann and Senator McKenzie for their comments today and add that Queensland Fire and Emergency Services are responding to 55 active fires across the state. There are currently 170 crews on the ground working to keep Queenslanders safe. Some of these fires located in the south-east corner of Queensland have been burning since September, as they are in locations that are difficult to access. Twelve homes have been destroyed, along with the mundane to the memories—family photographs, clothes, heirlooms, items from pantries.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have 'prepare to leave' notices today for the following areas: Rosevale, Mount Alphen, Double Top, Clumber, Tarome, Adelaide Park, Cobraball, Maryvale and Lake Mary. Residents have been told to be vigilant when it comes to air quality in Brisbane, Ipswich and the Gold Coast. Air pollution is 10 times higher than usual and likely to be the same tomorrow. There are strong winds tonight and there will be more tomorrow. Complicated and challenging wind conditions will make it challenging for firefighters on the ground.

Can I take this opportunity to thank the state and federal governments for their response to this most recent weather event. I know in my home state we have the very best experts in emergency and disaster management response, and we thank all emergency service personnel: firefighters, police, ambulance officers and all of their support staff. We thank those members of the emergency service personnel from other states and countries travelling to Queensland to provide support to our own brave and most likely exhausted fireys. Please stay safe. Please know your service is appreciated.

I'd also like to thank the regional Queenslanders and others working in the media today to bring information and updates to Queenslanders who face unthinkable threats. We are incredibly lucky in regional Queensland to have local newsrooms and journalists dedicated to delivering stories. They bring the rest of the pictures that convey the true horror of these fires. They bring us the human face of these catastrophic events. They're often in the line of fires themselves. We don't often thank the media in this place, but, in regional Queensland, they are also part of our community, and we do thank them for their service.

Over the past few days, I've heard a number of comments on what is correct to say in debate during times like these. On the one hand we have climate change deniers blaming vegetation management legislation for these conditions, and on the other hand we have reactions that seek to blame senators in this chamber for the direct lighting of fires themselves. I've warned both sides on this: no-one comes to this debate with clean hands in politicising what is a tragic event. What people living in regional Queensland—the people who are continually impacted by these disasters—want right now is less talk and more action.

Queenslanders are tough and resilient. Flood, wind, fire—we've had it all thrown our way. But when the sky turns black and the wind picks up and smoke starts to fill the air around you, it's hard not to feel lost and hopeless. Queenslanders are stoic, but right now they are suffering. So to those people back in Queensland I say this: the smoke will pass, and the fires will burn out. The remains of your houses will be rebuilt. But no Queenslander will do this alone because, above all else, Queenslanders stand together, today, tomorrow and always.

Question agreed to.