James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

There have been many heartfelt speeches here today, and I simply wish to add, first and foremost, my condolences on behalf of Queensland and Queenslanders to the families of those who've lost their lives this summer, to those who've lost their homes and businesses and property, and to recognise and thank the efforts of all those who have given their all to their communities.

There is no doubt that the summer of 2019-20 will go down as one of the darkest in recent memory. The fires started early in my home state of Queensland, and I appreciate the season is far from over. In September last year, fires threatened homes on Peregian Beach on the Sunshine Coast. They burned through parched paddocks and Stanthorpe, threatening the town and destroying homes, along with historic Binna Burra Lodge on the Gold Coast Hinterland, while the Scenic Rim faced fires at Canungra and Beechmont. As we moved into November, fires ravaged crops, properties and communities near Yeppoon in Central Queensland. For farmers who'd rebuilt and replaced property, equipment and crops after the cyclone in 2015, this was a tough pill to swallow. Rural firefighters worked alongside state emergency responders to fight the flames for days and days at Woodgate, near Bundaberg, and blazes returned to the western and southern areas of the Scenic Rim.

State member for Scenic Rim, Jon Krause, noted that as in many areas there had been a huge impact on farmers, with fires coming on top of the cruel, mean drought—the worst drought in living memory. Farmers like Glenn Fearby lost 2,000 acres of feed, and others like Catherine Drynan lost thousands in feed, stock and fencing. For local businesses there's been the added negative side effect of lost trade as people stay away from the regions. As we all know now, this was only the beginning of what would be a long, hot, horrible summer.

The damage we've seen from these fires and the ongoing, unrelenting drought cannot be measured, except in the most tragic circumstances. People have lost their lives, children have lost parents and families have been changed beyond recognition. Local concerns have been raised about the failure of vegetation management, with dangerous fuel loads in national parks. This failure certainly contributed to the fires, especially in the border areas. But more about that some other time. Through the smoke and the flames, through the concern, the confusion and the hurt, we saw the very best of our country and the very best of people coming together. On a visit to Stanthorpe in September last year with my colleague David Littleproud, the local member, we saw how long-serving volunteers worked alongside professional firefighters, along with students from the local high school, who worked together to defend their community. If you know Stanthorpe, you'll know how close the fires came to destroying that community. While discussing some of the tragic and horrific impacts of these fires, my colleagues across Queensland also shared their admiration for those in their communities who went above and beyond during these most difficult of times.

In Central Queensland, Michelle Landry, the member for Capricornia, worked to help incredible members of her community, such as Anthony Sylvester from the Bungundarra Rural Fire Brigade, and Livingstone Shire Council Local Disaster Coordinator, David Mazzaferri. Stewart and Pamela Skeen lost their home in Binna Burra. They met our Prime Minister and Mrs Morrison back in September and intend to rebuild their home. I have it on good authority that Mrs Morrison and Queensland LNP leader, Deb Frecklington, are on a promise to visit the Skeens for tea when the home is rebuilt. Times of adversity often deliver incredible acts of kindness and generosity, not only in terms of monetary donations and fundraising but in generosity of spirit. The member for Hinkler, Keith Pitt, noted this was on display at Woodgate when the Rural Fire Service was presented with the Woodgate Community Organisations Award at the Australia Day Breakfast. First Officer Michael Claffey accepted the award on behalf of the community. Keith Parry, the immediate past first officer and current officer, received the Woodgate Citizen of the Year Award for his contribution to the Woodgate community. Scott Buchholz, the member for Wright, and Jonathan Krause, the aforementioned member for Scenic Rim, praised SES volunteers led by Scenic Rim leader, Danni Bull; the Beech Mountain CWA for their amazing support of fireys and their ongoing help in the community recovery effort; and the efforts of first officers such as Mark Ayers from the Beechmont Rural Fire Brigade, with Phil Rankin and Damon Rockliff from Canungra Rural Fire Brigade, as well as Steve Geiger and Trevor Turner from the Mt Alford Rural Fire Brigade, Kerry Surawski from Carneys Creek-Maroon Brigade, and Dick and Cate Buckham and Evan Christensen from Tarome Rural Fire Brigade. These people are leaders in the community, and it is not fair—I say on their behalf—to call them out, as they'll be embarrassed by this, because so many people in so many communities did so much work to protect and defend their communities.

The Fassifern Salvation Army volunteers, led by Allan and Elsa Stibbe, deserve so much thanks for coordinating catering and other arrangements to look after dozens of fireys in Boonah. Federal members, including Llew O'Brien, Ted O'Brien, Scott Buchholz, Keith Pitt and Andrew Wallace, have been working alongside state members, led by Deb Frecklington, across Queensland to support the communities as they recover from these fires. I'd also like to acknowledge the contribution of our defence members and reservists and those who arrived on deployment from overseas. I would like to finish by conveying my sincere thanks to the thousands of unseen community heroes across our country—those people who've taken time out from their lives, away from their businesses and away from their families to help those less fortunate as they take stock and come to terms with these events.

As we continue our vigilance through the remainder of this long, hot and horrible summer and turn our thoughts towards recovery, I'm going to leave everybody with this simple request: please come and visit those in regional Queensland who've been hurt by these fires. An angry, cranky, smorgasbord of floods and fires and now coronavirus is smashing and destroying Queensland's tourist industry. Michael Trout, the former member for Barron River and a leading tourism operator, said on radio today that the coronavirus is worse in terms of the impact on the tourism industry in Far North Queensland than the pilots' strike of the late 1980s. So please continue to support these communities in Queensland and across Australia. They are beautiful places with stunning, beautiful people. Please come to regional Queensland, bring your money, spend it and help us rebuild regional Queensland.