Cathy O'Toole's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2019-07-02T23:05:27+00:00
items: Christchurch: Attacks | Condolences | House debates
items: Townsville: Floods | Adjournment | House debates
items: Australian Veterans' Recognition (Putting Veterans and their Families First) Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Budget | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Treasury Laws Amendment (North Queensland Flood Recovery) Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Queensland: Floods | Adjournment | House debates
items: Townsville: Floods | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Morrison Government | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Queensland: Floods | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Closing the Gap | Ministerial Statements | House debates
items: Early Childhood Education: Preschool Funding | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
items: Small Business, Queensland: Floods | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Economy | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Australian Natural Disasters | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Queensland: Floods | Bills | House debates
items: Queensland: Floods | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Queensland: Floods, Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry | Adjournment | House debates
items: Queensland: Floods | Statements by Members | House debates

Christchurch: Attacks | Condolences | House debates
type: item
description: Firstly, my thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones of those who were tragically murdered in New Zealand by an Australian terrorist. I stand in this place today on...
encoded: Firstly, my thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones of those who were tragically murdered in New Zealand by an Australian terrorist. I stand in this place today on behalf of the people of Herbert, in solidarity and sorrow with our New Zealand families. Australia is a great multicultural country and we have benefited enormously from our diversity, both socially and economically. Australians and New Zealanders are brothers and sisters. We are family; we are the Anzacs. Together we mourn for our New Zealand brothers and sisters. I stand here also to pay my deep respect to the memory of the 50 people murdered at their Friday prayers: people at their most vulnerable and humble—children as young as three and four years old. These were people praying in peace. I offer my words of comfort and condolence to the injured and the frightened—to those grappling with the loss of someone they love. I deeply admire your faith, love and forgiveness, and I know that this will help you greatly as you continue living your lives without your loved ones. I also pay my deep respects to the first responders, as they too will have to live with what they witnessed for the rest of their lives. This atrocious act of terrorism must be a warning, a call for us to pause and reflect. Let me be very clear: as a nation, we will be judged by the standard we walk past. When we think of terrorism, we think of those who we perceive to be of a different faith or culture—people who may be far away. But the reality is that this act of terrorism happened to our neighbours, on their land, by one of our own, an Australian. I think we need to let that sink in: an Australian terrorist. Those are words I never thought I'd utter. We must reflect on this and consider how we as a nation will rethink our view of terrorism and who the terrorists actually are. We need to reflect on our judgemental values and beliefs, that terrorism is always caused and created by another or elsewhere—that som…
date: 2019-04-03T17:36:00+00:00

Townsville: Floods | Adjournment | House debates
type: item
description: I stand here today to fight for and demand Townsville's fair share. After the most devastating floods it appears Townsville has been left to hang out and dry by this LNP budget—not one new...
encoded: I stand here today to fight for and demand Townsville's fair share. After the most devastating floods it appears Townsville has been left to hang out and dry by this LNP budget—not one new cent for Townsville infrastructure for two years. I cannot believe that this government is so out of touch that they have not given Townsville one cent for infrastructure. Clearly, this LNP government has no idea about the importance of infrastructure to the regions. Jobs is the No. 1 issue for Townsville, and this out-of-touch LNP government allocates absolutely nothing to Townsville in the budget—zero—to create new secure jobs for two years. No new money for infrastructure means no jobs for the people of Townsville. Under the LNP government, unemployment in Townsville has almost doubled. Speaking frankly, every single day I meet at least 20 people and every single person raises the issue of getting a job and how hard it is under this LNP government. They speak about their own issues or those of others that they know, people like Jake. Jake lost his job during this chaotic LNP term. He lost his apprenticeship and he could not find another opportunity, all because of the massive cuts to TAFE. So Jake decided to go to university. With a degree under his belt Jake thought that this would make him more employable and he would finally be able to find a job and support himself and his partner. More than six months on Jake is still looking for employment. Unfortunately for Jake there is no glimmer of hope in this 'no jobs and all cuts' budget. Shame on the LNP. This government says it is helping the people affected by the floods. Townsville has experienced our worst natural disaster. After more than 22,000 homes were affected, more than 110 roads were damaged and more than 1,000 people in Townsville were left homeless because of the floods, the LNP government delivers zero for natural disaster resilience funding. This government knows how to kick Townsvillians when we are down, and it i…
date: 2019-04-03T19:30:00+00:00

Australian Veterans' Recognition (Putting Veterans and their Families First) Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I am very proud to stand in this place as the representative of the defence personnel in the largest garrison city in this country. I'd like to start with an example of how incredibly fortunate...
encoded: I am very proud to stand in this place as the representative of the defence personnel in the largest garrison city in this country. I'd like to start with an example of how incredibly fortunate the people of Herbert are to have such a strong defence presence in our community. As people would be aware, Townsville recently suffered the worst natural disaster in our recorded history. We saw more than 22,000 homes impacted by an extreme weather event and many businesses suffered damages and losses. On Sunday 3 February, the Ross River Dam reached 244 per cent, and the Townsville Local Disaster Management Group advised the community that the Ross River Dam gates would automatically open at 43 metres. The Townsville Local Disaster Management Group worked with local experts and experts in Brisbane to manage this extreme weather event as best as possible. However, on Sunday, 3 February, at approximately 8 pm, the Ross River Dam opened, releasing 2,000 cubic metres of water per second. Prior to opening the dam gates, the Townsville defence personnel, emergency services and SES were out knocking on doors in the anticipated flood-affected areas, suggesting to people that they may be wise to evacuate or move to higher ground. My husband and I received a knock on our door to evacuate, and we took the advice of our defence personnel and left. The Townsville Local Disaster Management Group sent out numerous texts to residents throughout the days of torrential rain, issuing regular warnings of what was coming. I have lived in Townsville all of my life, and I have never witnessed or experienced anything like the magnitude of this extreme weather event. The mood in our city as we prepared for the impending flood on Sunday evening, 3 February, was indescribable. People were anxious about leaving their homes and their pets, and I know I certainly was. On the night of 3 February, the emergency radios and call lines were ringing off the hook as so many residents were inundated by water a…
date: 2019-04-03T18:38:00+00:00

Budget | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: Well, here I am again, back to the future. I stand here today to fight this out-of-touch LNP government's budget, as I have done for the last two LNP budgets. Not one new cent for Townsville, but...
encoded: Well, here I am again, back to the future. I stand here today to fight this out-of-touch LNP government's budget, as I have done for the last two LNP budgets. Not one new cent for Townsville, but the cuts are still there, writ large. This is the sixth budget delivered by the LNP, and, once again, Townsville is no better off. Townsville's unemployment has almost doubled under the LNP. There is not one new commitment, not one cent to be delivered to Townsville for at least two years under this disgraceful budget. This is not good enough. Townsville needs jobs now, not in two years. The LNP have included the Townsville stadium, a commitment that is three years old. This disgraceful LNP government cannot repackage three-year-old commitments and try to sell them to the people of Townsville. We deserve our fair share. There is no plan for wages growth, no plan to tackle power prices and no plan for secure jobs in Townsville. Townsville just gets cut after cut in this budget. A cut of $8.9 million to the Townsville hospital—that's 25 nurses' jobs gone. There are millions cut to Townsville public schools, $171.6 million to the Department of Veterans' Affairs and a $3 billion cut to TAFE; the LNP cuts have already cost Townsville 46 per cent of our apprentices. There is no money for hydro power on the Burdekin Falls Dam, no money for increasing naval ship maintenance and no money for The Oasis Townsville, a veterans' hub. There is no money for disaster recovery resilience. I will fight tooth and nail against this— (Time expired)
date: 2019-04-03T13:28:00+00:00

Treasury Laws Amendment (North Queensland Flood Recovery) Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I was born and raised in Townsville. I have been through Cyclone Althea, the flood of the late seventies and 'The Night of Noah' flood of 1998. But nothing in my life memory can compare with the...
encoded: I was born and raised in Townsville. I have been through Cyclone Althea, the flood of the late seventies and 'The Night of Noah' flood of 1998. But nothing in my life memory can compare with the disaster and the devastation of the flood that we experienced on 3 February 2019. Townsville experienced the worst flood in its recorded history. We had a year's rainfall in nine days, with 1,134 millimetres recorded up to 9 am on Monday, 4 February 2019, reaching over 1.65 metres. The Ross River Dam reached a record-breaking 244 per cent. More than 22,000 homes and 110 roads in Townsville were affected by this extreme weather event. Every day after the flood, my team and I visited families in affected areas, helping them clean up their homes. We delivered burritos and water donated by GYG and Morco Fresh Foods. We have been helping Townsville residents with their federal government disaster recovery claims. I support the Treasury Laws Amendment (North Queensland Flood Recovery) Bill 2019 because it provides vital funding for our disaster-ridden community. But I will also take this time to condemn the LNP government for its difficult and shameful criteria associated with the special disaster assistance recovery funding. The claims process has created more stress for people who are already stressed. The LNP claims process is a hoop-jumping exercise that includes incredibly harsh restrictions on claims. Cherrie Vitalli, whose house was inundated by flood—she lives in the red flood zone—was denied the vital relief funding three times. Elaine in Railway Estate was denied vital assistance because she lives in a Queenslander home, and the LNP made harsh restrictions where the water had to go over the floorboards of the main part of the home. Under her home, the bottom floor was not covered. The LNP government left the local Department of Human Services staff very vulnerable. They were not allowed to assist their fellow Townsville residents with their claims because residents could…
date: 2019-04-02T17:32:00+00:00

Budget | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: I stand here today to warn this out of touch LNP government that there better not be any cuts to my community in this budget. Townsville has had enough of the cuts and chaos created by this...
encoded: I stand here today to warn this out of touch LNP government that there better not be any cuts to my community in this budget. Townsville has had enough of the cuts and chaos created by this government. I have listed a few demands that I want to let the government know need to be in the budget. First, reverse the $8.9 million cuts to Townsville hospital and health services. Second, reverse the millions of dollars in cuts to Townsville public schools and match Labor's $23.5 million. Third, match Labor's $4.1 million commitment to The Oasis Townsville—a hub that will support serving members, veterans, ex-serving members and their families before, during and after transition to civilian life. Fourth, match Labor's $200 million for hydropower on the Burdekin Falls Dam. If this government can fund Snowy Hydro in the south, then they can fund Burdekin hydro in the north. Fifth, match Labor's commitment to increase naval ship maintenance at the Townsville port—a new industry and hundreds of local jobs. Sixth, stop the LNP attack on the public sector and reverse the 200 ATO, 50 Defence and 19 CSIRO job cuts and match Labor's commitment of 200 jobs for the Department of Human Services. Seventh, reverse the cuts to TAFE and the cuts of $36 million to James Cook University and $38 million to Central Queensland University. My community will act on election day if these demands are not met. I will fight tooth and nail for local jobs.
date: 2019-04-02T13:36:00+00:00

Queensland: Floods | Adjournment | House debates
type: item
description: Every day I have stood in this place and fought for the people of Townsville during one of our most difficult times. The Townsville floods have devastated our community. Over the last six years...
encoded: Every day I have stood in this place and fought for the people of Townsville during one of our most difficult times. The Townsville floods have devastated our community. Over the last six years our community was already doing it incredibly tough. Every time we have tried to stand up we seem to get knocked down. We have experienced the closure of QNI, the mining downturn, the local economy downturn, our unemployment rate doubling and now the floods. The Townsville community are so incredibly resilient though. We prove that you can't keep a good Queenslander down. We will get back up again and again, but we need the government's help. It's not good enough that this LNP government has put such harsh restrictions on the disaster recovery payment. People living in Queenslander homes that have been destroyed are being denied vital assistance because the water didn't reach the first-floor floorboards. Kevin in Rosslea had water come through the bottom floor. He was nine days without power. His hot water system, his fridge, his freezer and numerous belongings on the bottom floor were destroyed. There is mud throughout the bottom floor and now the house is covered in mould. He shouldn't be denied because he lives in a Queenslander. The Queenslander style home is the iconic piece of architecture that people identify with North Queensland. These homes are our Buckingham Palaces. They are just as iconic. For this LNP government to deny people living in Queenslander homes is not just disgusting but also un-Australian. Then there is the LNP's denial for small business to access category C funding—the $75,000. Insurance in Townsville is incredibly costly. It costs small businesses in some areas up to $20,000 a year. Small businesses are experiencing a huge economic downturn as it is. As such, there have been many cases where businesses have been unable to afford the insurance coverage. This cost would kill their business. As this is a one-in-1,000-year flood, the damage to small b…
date: 2019-02-21T11:25:00+00:00

Townsville: Floods | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: As I have said many times in this chamber over the last two sittings, Townsville has experienced the worst extreme weather event in our recorded history. People are struggling, and we forget...
encoded: As I have said many times in this chamber over the last two sittings, Townsville has experienced the worst extreme weather event in our recorded history. People are struggling, and we forget about the children and the impact that such an event has on their little lives. We often don't ask how they're feeling. My granddaughter is nine years old. Her mum and dad took in a family of four friends who had to leave their homes during the flood. Matilda sat quietly in her room after the event and wrote the following letter, which I would like to share with those in this place: Dear Townsvill Army Thankyou for helping the people in the Townsvill flud— F-L-U-D—good spelling!— and thank's for heping my mum's frend's truck. and if it wazint for you people could have died in the fuld and I uspsherly— I love that spelling: U-S-P-S-H-E-R-L-Y— want to thankyou for helping my granny. My name is Matilda and I rote you this letter. This country is in great shape with young people like Matilda who have kind hearts, compassion and gratitude in abundance. We can learn so much from our young people if we take the time to be in their presence and genuinely listen to them. But the message in what Matilda is saying is that the ADF personnel in my community were nothing short of outstanding in assisting people day and night for now over two weeks to get their lives back in order. From the bottom on my heart, I say thank you.
date: 2019-02-21T13:30:00+00:00

Morrison Government | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: I stand here today to say to the LNP government: how dare you not agree to more sitting days in order to enact the recommendations of the banking royal commission that would help protect...
encoded: I stand here today to say to the LNP government: how dare you not agree to more sitting days in order to enact the recommendations of the banking royal commission that would help protect Townsville residents from insurance companies after our worst ever weather event. There are people in Townsville who are trying to lodge insurance claims to fix the damage to their homes that have been destroyed. There are people trying to make claims for their furniture and belongings that have been ruined by floodwater. People are trying to get their lives back on track but are being given the run-around. People feel their claims are being ignored or denied by insurance companies when these insurance companies must pay up. Labor has put multiple bills before this parliament that would enact recommendations from the banking royal commission, and one in particular would help Townsville residents right now. Right now, there is a bill that would give ASIC the power to have oversight over claims being handled by insurance companies. This bill is vital for Townsville's flood-affected victims who are right now fighting with their insurance companies. Chris and Claire, in Bluewater, have two properties and have never made a claim. Their Bluewater property has been destroyed in the flood and this will be their first claim. On 11 February a construction company arrived at their house to pressure-wash the building. There had been no communication with them about this happening. Chris advised that they were waiting for the property to be cleared out; but, as the construction company did not have a scope of work or purchase order, they were unable to continue. An assessor came out on Tuesday, 12 February. The assessor got the amount of cover wrong and led Chris and Claire to believe they would receive more. A building inspector came with him but they were not able to access the house because it was unsafe to do so. The communication between the parties is poor and they only have a contact numb…
date: 2019-02-20T10:42:00+00:00

Queensland: Floods | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Prime Minister. Townsville has experienced the worst natural disaster in our recorded history. The devastating floods have affected more than 22,000 homes. Why won't the...
encoded: My question is to the Prime Minister. Townsville has experienced the worst natural disaster in our recorded history. The devastating floods have affected more than 22,000 homes. Why won't the Prime Minister schedule extra sitting days so this parliament can pass laws to make insurance companies treat North Queenslanders fairly? When will the Prime Minister stop listening to the insurers and start listening to the people of North Queensland?
date: 2019-02-20T14:00:00+00:00

Closing the Gap | Ministerial Statements | House debates
type: item
description: I believe it appropriate that I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land upon which we stand at this point in time, the Ngunnawal people. I will also acknowledge the traditional owners of...
encoded: I believe it appropriate that I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land upon which we stand at this point in time, the Ngunnawal people. I will also acknowledge the traditional owners of the land upon which I live: the Manbarra people and the Bwgcolman people of Palm Island, and the Bindal people of Townsville. Last year I stood in this place and spoke on the 2018 Closing the gap report. I spoke about the targets that were set 11 years ago and how, sadly, the report showed that, for the first time since 2011, three out of the seven Closing the Gap targets were on track to be met. Unfortunately, I am standing here today disappointed and frustrated again. Whilst I am very pleased to see improvements in early childhood education and year 12 retention rates in the 2019 Closing the gap report, the reality is that these are only two targets out of seven that are on track. I will also give my congratulations, in my local community, to Clontarf and the newly established Stars programs that are operating in a number of the high schools in my electorate of Herbert. I do believe that that has helped significantly in ensuring the year 12 retention rates and that getting kids to school is working very, very well. Under this LNP government, targets have gone backwards. As a result, they have not done much for our First Nations brothers and sisters, because their lives are not improving. The cuts, chaos and dysfunction of this LNP government are clearly evident in this report. I want to make it clear that it's not the targets that have failed; rather, it is this LNP government that has failed our First Nations people. The successive failures of the Abbott-Turnbull Morrison government's inability to match well-intentioned rhetoric with action are gross miscarriages of justice and leadership. It needs to be said that the time for rhetoric and longwinded niceties is well and truly over. It is now time for action, collaboration and delivery. The time for dictating to our First …
date: 2019-02-19T18:01:00+00:00

Early Childhood Education: Preschool Funding | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: I'm currently a registered teacher in Queensland. My grandmother was a teacher. I have two siblings who are principals of high schools. I have two nieces and a sister-in-law who are teachers. I...
encoded: I'm currently a registered teacher in Queensland. My grandmother was a teacher. I have two siblings who are principals of high schools. I have two nieces and a sister-in-law who are teachers. I can assure you, I know the value of early childhood education, including preschool. A quality education starts with early childhood education and preschool for all children because the most formative years are from birth to five years of age. A quality education is a basic human right for Australia's future and it's absolutely essential that the preschoolers of today get a quality education because they are the leaders of our not-too-distant future. I was studying education at the time my two eldest children commenced preschool and I was very impressed by their excellent teacher's ability to stimulate their curiosity in learning, especially through play and discovery. My experience with my children led me to believe that the best year of education is in fact preschool. As little minds are developed, curiosity and critical thinking are encouraged in the context of age-appropriate learning activities. As a grandmother, I have watched my grandchildren in recent years flourish in their preschool education. In fact, my granddaughter could sign some words before she could even speak them, because she went to a kindy where they were immersed in sign language. The quality of the curriculum was so very impressive, and their interest in reading was developed. All of my grandchildren are very imaginative and have very curious minds. In Australia, there are approximately 350,000 four-year-olds who have begun their first steps of early learning this year either in kindergarten or at preschool. However, under this LNP government, this may very well be the last year that four-year-old kids get an opportunity to access to preschool or kindy, because this government is refusing to fund the program next year. This is just one step too far, especially after its childcare changes and the cuts to…
date: 2019-02-19T15:58:00+00:00

Small Business, Queensland: Floods | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: I stand here today completely outraged by the LNP government and how they are letting down Townsville's small businesses after our worst natural disaster in history. The LNP government is...
encoded: I stand here today completely outraged by the LNP government and how they are letting down Townsville's small businesses after our worst natural disaster in history. The LNP government is excluding small business owners from the $75,000 recovery grants. Townsville's small businesses are doing it very tough. Not only are some trying to rebuild their homes but they are also trying to rebuild their businesses. It is outrageous that the LNP would leave small business owners, in their time of need, to hang out to dry. The LNP government has made multiple unfair restrictions on Townsville people and small business owners. There should be one rule and one rule only. If it's flooded, you get federal relief funding. If your small business is flooded, you get federal assistance. It's that simple. Because of the LNP's government's harsh restrictions to access vital funding, businesses like New Park Suit Hire and Menswear are excluded. The force of the floodwaters were so great that they knocked the doors off their building on Charters Towers Road. Mr McGinty has owned that store for 38 years, and he is now trying to prepare for a very big year ahead with Townsville weddings. He is booked out for this entire month, but he has lost all of his stock. He needs funding now to accommodate his clients for their special days. Mr McGinty should have access to the $75,000 federal grant, but he is being denied this right by this LNP government. I demand that the LNP government lift these harsh and stringent restrictions. (Time expired)
date: 2019-02-19T13:45:00+00:00

Economy | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: This motion speaks to how completely out of touch the LNP government really are. They try to brag that things are going well—that the economy is going well and that jobs are on the...
encoded: This motion speaks to how completely out of touch the LNP government really are. They try to brag that things are going well—that the economy is going well and that jobs are on the increase—but what is actually happening is the numbers are being skewed. The only things to rise under this out-of-touch LNP government besides the degrees in climate and the tempers of everyday Australians are the unemployment figures. Does this LNP government even know how regional Queenslanders are struggling under their government? Does the LNP Prime Minister know the detrimental impact he caused when he was Treasurer by making massive cuts to various sectors across regional Queensland? Those opposite try to skew numbers. They have put a new face on their leader, thinking that everyday Australians will forget what those opposite have done. But we won't forget, when the architect for the job losses and cuts is now the Prime Minister. The LNP's economic plan is very good for Sydney and Melbourne but not for regional, rural, and remote Queensland. The LNP's planned tax cuts for banks and big business weren't for Townsville; they were for their banking mates. The majority of Townsville businesses are not big businesses. While the Sydney and Melbourne economies are growing, Townsville's local economy has been demolished under consecutive LNP governments. The government does like to recite numbers, so allow me to recite a few for you—factual numbers. They are: 5.6 per cent—that was Townsville's unemployment rate when Labor left office; 9.7 per cent—that is Townsville's current unemployment rate, and unemployment in Townsville has almost doubled under the LNP; 3,000—that is how many manufacturing jobs have been lost in Townsville since the LNP was elected; 149—that is the number of Australian tax office jobs that have been lost under the LNP government; 50—that is the number of defence jobs cut; 19—that is the number of CSIRO jobs cut in Townsville under the LNP; 46 per cent—that is how many…
date: 2019-02-18T17:49:00+00:00

Australian Natural Disasters | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I second the motion. I am very proud to stand in this place and say that I come from one of the most resilient communities in our nation, Townsville. Townsville is my home. I was born, raised,...
encoded: I second the motion. I am very proud to stand in this place and say that I come from one of the most resilient communities in our nation, Townsville. Townsville is my home. I was born, raised, educated and married in Townsville. In my living memory, I cannot recall a weather event that compares to what we recently experienced. This extreme weather event has made history as the worst natural disaster that Townsville has experienced, with 22,000 homes affected by devastating floodwaters. As I speak in this place today, there are residents and business owners in my community who are still cleaning up and trying to come to terms with their financial and sentimental losses. Some people have lost everything: their homes, their belongings. Townsville is currently going through a housing crisis, with many displaced residents desperately trying to find somewhere to live. The Real Estate Institute of Queensland has reported that roughly 1,500 people in Townsville are at present fighting for an estimated 200 to 400 available properties. The department of housing has received 285 requests for emergency housing assistance as of Tuesday, 12 February. To make matters worse, the competition for property is driving rental prices up, making it simply unaffordable for many residents. I have read reports that a three-bedroom house that was previously rented for $350 per week is now being rented for $700 per week. I want to say in this place that this is not the time for anyone to take advantage of this disaster. It is abundantly clear that my community is going through an extremely tough time right now, and we need assistance. My office has been inundated by calls and emails from people who have been directly impacted by the floods. Unfortunately, under the watch of this LNP government, many of these people have been denied financial assistance, which is simply very stressful for them at this time. The LNP government claims to have made changes to the criteria for the disaster relief f…
date: 2019-02-18T16:53:00+00:00

Townsville: Floods | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: I stand in this place today to fight for a fair share for the people of Townsville. The LNP government is refusing to give some people in Townsville their fair share. More than 22,000 homes have...
encoded: I stand in this place today to fight for a fair share for the people of Townsville. The LNP government is refusing to give some people in Townsville their fair share. More than 22,000 homes have been flooded and, instead of trying to help the people of Townsville during our worst-ever natural disaster, the LNP have instead placed harsh and stringent restrictions on people trying to access disaster recovery funding. Townsville is being denied its fair share when we need it the most by this out-of-touch and selfish LNP government. There are people like Kevin of Rosslea. Kevin lives in a high-set Queenslander house. Water came through his bottom floor. His hot water system was completely damaged. He has lost his fridge, freezer and numerous other belongings on the bottom floor. Kevin has also gone nine days without power. He thought the worst was behind him but instead the LNP government is refusing to give Kevin the disaster relief assistance money that he desperately needs and that he is most certainly eligible to receive. Kevin has been told to give more information due to the underneath of his house not being enclosed. The LNP government are ignoring thousands of people like Kevin and are refusing to give Townsville our fair share. I call on the LNP government to lift the harsh and stringent restrictions and deliver immediate assistance to Townsville residents and stop holding us hostage. If water has been in your property and you have lost your belongings, you should receive this money for support.
date: 2019-02-18T16:13:00+00:00

Queensland: Floods | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) Townsville has experienced the worst floods in recorded history; (b) Townsville received a year's rainfall in nine days, with 1,134 millimetres...
encoded: I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) Townsville has experienced the worst floods in recorded history; (b) Townsville received a year's rainfall in nine days, with 1,134 millimetres recorded up to 9 am on Monday 4 February 2019, reaching over 1.65 metres; (c) the Ross River Dam reached a record breaking 244 per cent capacity; and (d) more than 22,000 homes and 110 roads in Townsville were affected by this extreme weather event; (2) acknowledges the: (a) professional and skilled work undertaken by the Townsville Local Disaster Management Group; (b) dedicated and collaborative work undertaken by the Australian Defence Force (ADF), Emergency Services and State Emergency Services (SES) in rescuing stranded residents in dangerous circumstances; (c) commitment and hard work of the ADF in the massive recovery clean-up process; and (d) amazing work of the SES, Ergon Energy, Townsville City Council workers, businesses and the thousands of community volunteers for their efforts to assist the many people whose homes were inundated; and (3) calls on the Government to end the confusion related to the disaster recovery payment and assist the thousands of distressed Townsville residents during this difficult time. This has been a very difficult time for the people of Townsville. Just imagine a wall of water about the same height as me coming towards you and your home. What Townsville has experienced is truly unbelievable. We've gone from a dam that was well down to a dam with record-breaking 244 per cent capacity. People's livelihoods, their belongings and their homes have all been destroyed. Last week, the Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, and I visited the Townsville RSL. I was shocked to see the extensive damage to one of the largest RSL clubs in Australia. Around half a metre of water had rushed through the lower level of the building. The carpets and many of the club's awards, historical memorabilia and artefacts had been destroyed by the water and/or mould. Befo…
date: 2019-02-18T11:29:00+00:00

Queensland: Floods | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: The Prime Minister and the LNP should be hanging their heads in shame at the way the people of Townsville are being treated as a result of a major flood. As I have stated in this place many...
encoded: The Prime Minister and the LNP should be hanging their heads in shame at the way the people of Townsville are being treated as a result of a major flood. As I have stated in this place many times, Townsville has experienced the worst floods in our recorded history. Townsville residents' homes, belongings and livelihoods have been destroyed. And, to top this off, the Morrison LNP government is denying many Townsville residents vital assistance. How cruel and stingy does the Prime Minister have to be to deny disaster victims vital assistance at a time when they are at their most distressed? My office has been inundated with calls and emails about the confusion and restrictions that Prime Minister Scott Morrison has placed on the disaster relief funding. Grown men and women in tears—I say shame on this government. I will read an email that I received from Townsville resident Murray from Kirwan. He writes: Our home like many in Townsville has been impacted by the floods. While our damage is nowhere near as great as others, we have been inundated with mould, as well as some water ingress. For the first time in my 65 years I have requested a government payment, and been rewarded by waiting on the phone for 45 minutes while my information is recorded. This is farcical. The request line is only open during business hours. Some of us work and should not be waiting for this length of time during office hours. I have now been told that they will 'call me back'. Of course I do not expect this to happen. If such a benefit is offered the application process should not be as stressful as my experience. And you are absolutely right, Murray: the process shouldn't be stressful and the problem lies squarely with Prime Minister Scott Morrison. And here is another email from another resident, David. His pool has been ruined, and he has mould all through his house. He writes: I have been told I would get a call back from someone that day and did not. I called again this morning and was t…
date: 2019-02-14T11:48:00+00:00

Queensland: Floods, Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry | Adjournment | House debates
type: item
description: I stand here today on behalf of all Townsville residents who are experiencing bullying and intimidation tactics by the banks and insurance companies, and to say to the LNP government: you had...
encoded: I stand here today on behalf of all Townsville residents who are experiencing bullying and intimidation tactics by the banks and insurance companies, and to say to the LNP government: you had better watch out, because right now what is happening in my town to people in distress is on your watch. The banking royal commission handed down its recommendations, and the LNP government are refusing to act on any of the recommendations until after the election. Townsville flood victims who are being bullied by the banks and insurance companies cannot wait until after an election for the implementation of these recommendations. I will now recount to you an email that was sent to me today by a flood victim in Townsville who is being bullied and harassed by the Commonwealth Bank's insurance arm and who needs the recommendations of the banking royal commission implemented now. Matt says: We have lost everything we own at our rental house in Townsville. We are a family of five. Three children aged 1, 4 and 6. We have our contents insured with CommInsure. Our experience has consisted of the following flagrant and unprofessional and uncompassionate practices in chronological order: 1. Over twenty hours of on-hold time to lodge our claim and understand the CommInsure claim assessment process and estimated timeframes. 2. Each call received by different staff who provided inconsistent and/or conflicting advice 3. Rejection of request for direct contact for claim manager to avoid one or two hour hold times 4. Neglect to offer policy entitlement to financial compensation for alternative/emergency accommodation 5. Encouragement to accept emergency cash payment for temporary/emergency accommodation at every query—following hours of on-hold and multiple interactions with staff, we learn that the emergency cash payment will get deducted from final settlement for contents (that is; we can't pay to replace items written off by CommInsure assessor) 6. Informed that our entitlement to temporar…
date: 2019-02-14T16:50:00+00:00

Queensland: Floods | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: Clearly, Townsville has experienced one of our worst natural disasters in recorded history, with more than 22,000 homes being affected by devastating floods. People's lives have been turned...
encoded: Clearly, Townsville has experienced one of our worst natural disasters in recorded history, with more than 22,000 homes being affected by devastating floods. People's lives have been turned completely upside down. This is an incredibly distressing and trying time for the people of Townsville. Now more than ever we need to keep an eye on family members, neighbours, friends, and also those who are alone or isolated in our community. The extreme heat and humidity plays a significant role in wearing people down and stress levels will rise. Mental wellbeing will be affected. The highly successful Operation Compass #CheckYourMates Christmas campaign has been extended into the recovery process underway in the city. As Townsville is the largest garrison city in Australia, I know that many currently-serving and ex-serving veterans and their families have been affected by the floods. Just last week I made calls to war widows with the great Legacy volunteers to check that they were okay or if they needed help. Sometimes we can help by simply lending a listening ear. There is nothing more powerful than being totally in the presence of the other and truly listening. ADF members and veterans are asked to check their mates. The campaign motto is 'yarn and motivate'. I believe that all residents could engage in this campaign in this incredibly distressing and difficult time. The disaster and clean-up will take its toll on people's mental wellbeing, so we must be vigilant and reach out to those who may not be coping very well, but that also means being in touch with your own distress levels. Caring for each other will get us through this tough time.
date: 2019-02-14T13:48:00+00:00