Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Before moving general business notice of motion No. 369, I wish to inform the chamber that Senator Waters will also sponsor the motion. At the request of Senators Watt, Chisholm and Waters, I move:

That the Senate notes that—

(a) one year ago, flood waters peaked in Townsville in one of the worst natural disasters to have impacted the region;

(b) five people lost their lives due to the flood and 3300 homes were damaged;

(c) more than 30,700 insurance claims have been lodged, with hundreds of people still waiting to move back into their homes;

(d) Emergency Service personnel, Australian Defence Force personnel and volunteers worked tirelessly during the peak of the flood waters and in the rebuild efforts afterwards;

(e) the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) inquiry into northern Australian insurance that found insurance premiums rose by 130% in northern Australia over the past decade, compared to just over 50% in the rest of the country;

(f) the ACCC found that the number of homes with no building insurance in Townsville has more than doubled from 9% in 2011 to 20% in 2019;

(g) the ACCC has made 28 recommendations aimed at making insurance in north Queensland fairer, and more transparent; and

(h) the people of Townsville urgently need affordable and fair insurance to ensure they are protected from future weather events.