Cathy O'Toole's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
Christchurch: Attacks | Condolences | House debates
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...
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 somehow extremism and hatred, and the violence that terrorists incite, can only be brought in from overseas. Hatred only begets hatred and violence only begets violence. The Australian terrorist who committed this dreadful act was not born with hatred in his heart; he learned hatred and it grew into an act of unspeakable violence. Not all extreme right-wing hate speech ends in terror and racial violence, but all terrorism and racial violence begins with extreme hate speech. If there is a swamp of extremism and prejudice and we say nothing and do nothing then we cannot disown what crawls out of that swamp. As I said earlier, as a nation we will be judged by the standard that we walk past. How many times have we heard a racial slur, a racial comment, and said nothing? How many times have we walked by a conversation or an interaction where we witness someone from a different race or culture being verbally abused and continued to walk on? The events in Christchurch surely bring us to a point of serious reflection. This is everybody's responsibility in our country, because we will no longer allow those beliefs to foster in a dark swamp. We will no longer allow those beliefs to be cast into the shadows. Instead, we will shine a light on this behaviour and we will call it out for what it is: extreme far Right racism. We must decide what kind of community we want to live in. Do we choose to allow those around us to speak in hate or fear? Or do we choose to live in a community of hope, compassion, understanding and inclusion? Dr Martin Luther King famously said: Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. I want to say to the Muslim community in my electorate: I stand in solidarity with you, as do the rest of my community, and I thank you for your response of love and forgiveness. Thank you for inviting me to the mosque on the Sunday after that dreadful Friday, to sit with you all in peace, love and forgiveness. The words shared at the mosque were of hope, love and forgiveness. The imam spoke in an amazingly compassionate manner. My congratulations also go to Prime Minister Ardern, as she handled this appalling situation with amazing leadership. She led from the heart. She showed compassion and love as she met with the affected families. I stand here in this place to commit to my community that I will always lead with love, hope and compassion.
Townsville: Floods | Adjournment | House debates
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...
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 is simply not good enough. There is no money for hydropower on the Burdekin Falls Dam, no money for The Oasis Townsville veterans' hub, no money to increase naval ship maintenance, no 200 extra Department of Human Services jobs and no money for the Mount Isa to Townsville rail. All Townsville gets from this budget is cut after cut after cut: $8.9 million cut to our Townsville hospital, with 25 nurses jobs gone; $36 million cut to James Cook University, with 14 jobs already cut and more expected to be cut; $38 million cut to Central Queensland University; millions lost to our Townsville public schools; and $171.6 million cut to the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and that's in the largest garrison city in the nation. I will fight against these savage cuts and I will fight for Townsville's fair share. I have fought for my community. Labor has listened and Labor will deliver a much fairer budget for Townsville, a budget that delivers vital infrastructure and hundreds of jobs and that will get Townsville back on its feet after the flood we have just experienced. Labor's budget will deliver $200 million for hydropower on the Burdekin Falls Dam, $4.1 million for The Oasis Townsville, $30 million for 33 extra beds at the Townsville hospital to relieve the waiting list, $23.5 million for Townsville schools over the first three years, 200 new Department of Human Services jobs and an entirely new defence maintenance industry for naval ships. Labor will deliver a fair share for Townsville. Townsville deserves a government that will deliver for all Townsvillians and not just the top end of town. We certainly do not deserve the LNP cuts and chaos. Townsville deserves better and under a Labor government Townsville will get better.
Australian Veterans' Recognition (Putting Veterans and their Families First) Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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...
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 and needed to be rescued. The ADF, police, ambulance, firefighters and the SES answered those calls in the most selfless manner. Not only did they answer the calls that evening, but for days after and throughout the clean-up process. Veterans and ex-serving members were also out helping stranded people, some in their own boats, assisting with the many rescues and putting their own lives at risk. Team Rubicon was on the ground in Townsville. This created an organised and effective space for veterans and ex-serving members to continue their service throughout the immediate disaster response. Many of these men and women from the serving ADF had left their own homes and their families to support the community, and many of them, when they got home, found their places had been flooded and their families had to be moved. Townsville, as I said, is the largest garrison city in the nation, and it is also home to thousands of veterans and their families. I can assure you, the Townsville clean-up would not have happened so quickly and efficiently if it had not been for the outstanding work of the ADF, veterans and ex-serving members; Townsville would not be in the shape it is today, in terms of the clean-up and the progress to recovery. The recent extreme weather event has clearly demonstrated to the people of Townsville that the serving ADF, veterans, ex-serving members and their families are committed to our community, and I want to thank each member and veteran for their dedication and assistance in our time of need. I know that, for some of you, it meant putting your own personal flooding issues on hold whilst you helped in the community, as I have said. These selfless actions are yet another reason why I am proud and honoured to represent the current and former ADF community in Herbert. I have spoken in this place on every single defence or veterans bill, because our currently serving veterans, ex-serving personnel and their families deserve the strongest representation from a member who stands up for them in this place. I stand here again today, as I have done many times before, to support a bill that supports our defence personnel. Our veterans, ex-serving men and women, and their families have always put the needs of our nation first. They have fought for our country, and now it is time for us to fight for them, for their needs to be met. I rise today to speak on the Australian Veterans' Recognition (Putting Veterans and their Families First) Bill 2019. The bill creates a new act which will provide a framework for government, business and the community to recognise and acknowledge the unique nature of military service and to support veterans, ex-serving personnel and their families. More importantly, the bill establishes the Australian Defence Veterans' Covenant. Whilst I welcome the Australian Defence Veterans' Covenant, I don't believe it goes far enough and I ask why it has taken the government so long to enact this bill, particularly when Labor announced our commitment almost six months ago. On 5 September 2018, federal Labor announced that we would establish Australia's first military covenant if elected. The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, the shadow minister for veterans' affairs, Amanda Rishworth, and Labor's candidate for Dawson, Belinda Hassan, and I met with local veterans, ESOs and currently serving defence personnel in Townsville to announce our commitment. Labor has listened to the calls from the Alliance of Defence Service Organisations and other ex-serving organisations that have been working towards this for many years. The difference is that Labor is completely committed to recognising both our current and ex-serving Defence members, veterans and their families. Labor's military covenant would cover both current and ex-serving personnel and their families, recognising the enormous commitment they make to serve this great nation. Labor's commitment formalises our nation's commitment to look after those who have sacrificed their lives so that we can live in the freedoms that we experience in this great nation. Labor's military covenant will include annual reporting, ensuring accountability in the form of a statement to the parliament on how government is meeting its obligation to current and ex-serving personnel. Whilst I stand with Labor and I'm pleased to see the government adopt a covenant via this bill, I am a little disheartened that the bill has omitted the service of our current serving men and women. As I mentioned at the beginning of this speech, we have witnessed the extraordinary efforts of our ADF in recent weeks in my community. In Townsville, we continually see the hard work and dedication of our current members and their loved ones, not only through disasters but through their community engagement from both a social and an economic perspective. I do believe these men and women deserve to be recognised as well. Leaving out current serving members is not fair and thus government is missing a significant part of the ADF family. Whilst it is critically important that we acknowledge those who served, we cannot afford to tell only part of the story. I am concerned that, by omitting the service of our current ADF members and the lack of accountability by way of annual reporting to parliament, this is more about the government offering symbolic words rather than meaningful and genuine support. To be very clear, Labor fully supports the introduction of a covenant which formalises our commitment to those who have served and those who continue to serve, including their families. It is critical that this bill genuinely reflects the needs of all our current and ex-serving members, veterans and their families. Whilst governments have failed before us, we now have the opportunity to get this right. There is far too much at stake here, and our current and ex-serving men and women, veterans and their families deserve to have their voices included in this legislation. The covenant is a solemn oath to those who have served or continue to serve, and we cannot get this wrong. I encourage all interested parties to participate in this process and provide their feedback. The covenant is above politics, and our personal party views need to be put aside in the interests of our current and ex-serving Defence community and their families. I have met with many families and veterans and ex-serving personnel. One of the most common complaints I hear about is the lengthy and complex claims process associated with the Department of Veterans' Affairs, which I believe has just taken a $171.6 million cut. I'm certain any commitment to timeliness would be welcomed by the veteran and ex-serving community, particularly in Townsville. I will always stand in this place and support greater recognition for our Defence community by government. Labor's commitment to those who are serving or have served is rock solid and, as such, we welcome changes that will increase recognition for veterans and their loved ones. We await the outcome of the Senate inquiry with interest; however, I support the principle of this bill, which is acknowledgement of those who have served and their families. Thank you.
Budget | Statements by Members | House debates
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...
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)
Treasury Laws Amendment (North Queensland Flood Recovery) Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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...
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 only call a Melbourne number between nine and five. Townsville had to fight through the flood and then had to fight the LNP government for its fair share. Townsville residents shouldn't be treated as second-class citizens by this government, not to mention the fact that the LNP government is treating Townsville small businesses disgracefully. I fought the LNP government to include local small business in their disaster relief funds. Many local small businesses are struggling to get assistance from the LNP government to get back on their feet and, importantly, keep their staff employed. We dragged the LNP kicking and screaming to the table to provide relief for Townsville businesses and finally, more than a month after the flood, the government eventually came to the table. But, once again, the LNP government set strict and harsh criteria for small-business relief grants. These harsh restrictions have made it almost impossible for any small business to be granted the relief funding that they deserve and desperately need. Just as I have been visiting flood affected families, I have also visited flood affected Townsville small businesses and I can safely say small businesses are angry with this out-of-touch LNP government. I visited local business owner Warren Figg who owns Auto Centre Townsville. His business was inundated. He has a car yard. The car yard and the office were inundated. He was concerned about keeping his business going so that his employees would not lose their jobs and he could get on with selling his vehicles. As Warren said, this funding should be easy to access to reduce the stress on small-business owners. The reality is that these funds would flow straight back into a struggling community. Surely it is not too much to expect that the LNP government would assist small-business owners after this devastation. Warren, like so many others, needs this vital funding. Warren applied for the small business relief funding almost immediately and, after six weeks, he was still waiting for a response. The grant provides up to $50,000 for small businesses impacted by the flood, but, as Warren has described, he and other Townsville small businesses have had to jump through a lot of hoops just to apply for the grant. Warren advised that, after he applied for the grant and he had not heard anything for a couple of weeks, he made a phone call. He was told an assessor had not even picked up his application to look at it and they could not give him a time when this would happen. This is simply not good enough. The LNP's criteria and mountains of paperwork seem to be designed to keep small businesses excluded rather than included. Townsville businesses need to have a simple, clear, less bureaucratic process. Simply get rid of the red tape. Now is the time to help small businesses in Townsville. Now is the time for the government to take action to help these businesses get back on their feet. Warren has described the whole rigmarole that he has been put through by the LNP government as getting 'hung out to dry'. Warren has so far spent close to $50,000 to just get the business started again, but some businesses do not have this cashflow to get their businesses going. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and LNP members, let me tell you: you are not helping small businesses get back on their feet. You are putting the owners' livelihoods at stake and putting the one in every four jobs that is created by a small business in Townsville at risk. Townsville's jobs are directly under threat because of LNP's out-of-touch and harsh criteria for small-business relief grants. More than 391 businesses have been affected directly by the floods in Townsville, with an average loss of $98,000. Combined state and federal funding totals $27.2 million for relief grants for small businesses. In Townsville, $724,112 has been delivered for 100 businesses. That is less than three per cent of the money delivered to our community. The LNP need to wake up. Small businesses in Townsville are hurting and hurting badly. The strict criteria are killing small businesses in Townsville and costing local jobs that we cannot afford to lose, given our unemployment rate is almost double that of the national average. Unemployment has already almost doubled, as I said, and it will continue to get worse if we do not get help to the small businesses that have been affected by this devastating flood. The LNP need to review their harsh and rigid restrictions. I demand action now on this issue. Townsville deserves our fair share and I will fight tooth and nail for my community to get our fair share.
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...
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.
Queensland: Floods | Adjournment | House debates
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...
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 businesses has been huge and expensive. The LNP government cannot turn their backs on small business owners when they need them the most. I am demanding that the LNP government allow small businesses to access category C funding—with $75,000. After the floods many of our community went straight back to work and worked extra hours to help each other out. Our Defence personnel worked incredibly long hours. Bureau of Meteorology staff, local council workers, waste workers, radio staff, cleaners, taxidrivers, SES and volunteers—the list goes on—all worked extra hours, because that's what you do when your community needs a hand. This LNP government is refusing to work even one extra hour to pass Labor's bill that would assist in protecting the Townsville flood victims with their insurance claims. One of the urgent recommendations from the banking royal commission was to give ASIC the power to have oversight over the claims-handling process. This bill is vital for Townsville flood-affected victims, who are right now fighting with their insurance companies just to get what is owed to them. People like Matt and Nicole in Townsville have been subjected to repeated bullying and intimidating tactics by their insurance company, CommInsure. CommInsure neglected to offer policy entitlements to financial compensation for alternative or emergency accommodation and instead encouraged them to accept an emergency cash payment for temporary emergency accommodation at every query. It was only after hours on hold and multiple interactions with staff that they learnt that the emergency cash payment will get deducted from the final settlement for contents. This is disgraceful and unconscionable conduct. The LNP government are allowing the insurance companies to continue to do this because they refuse to work even one extra hour to pass Labor's bill that would protect people like Matt and Nicole. The LNP refuse to put the interests of Townsville victims first, ahead of their banking and insurance mates. This is a shame. Townsville needs government assistance now more than ever. The LNP government should not be turning their backs on us at every stage during this disaster. Townsville shouldn't have to fight to lift the LNP's rigid restrictions on disaster recovery funding. Townsville shouldn't have to fight to get their fair share of small business assistance funding. Townsville shouldn't have to fight with the LNP government, who would prefer to put the interests of bankers and insurance companies ahead of the flood victims in Townsville. I will always vote for my community. I demand that the LNP government stand up and start looking after the people of Townsville, because now is when we need this help.
Townsville: Floods | Statements by Members | House debates
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...
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.
Morrison Government | Constituency Statements | House debates
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...
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 number for the insurance company. Three weeks later their house remains full of wrecked furniture, a full fridge and freezer. The house has been completely taken over by mould. They have lost any chance they had to salvage some contents, given that they only received $16,000, minus excesses, for rebuilding their lives from scratch. All Chris and Claire want is to clear out their contents and to have the builders' assessments so that they can at least move forward. Both Chris and Claire have been unable to work since the event, as they wait every single day for the clearing out to start. Labor has their back. We want to give ASIC more power to look after them and other Townsville residents affected by the floods, but the LNP government are refusing to protect Townsville residents. The LNP government clearly aren't a government for North Queensland. They are a government for banks and insurance companies. They have proven it time and time again. Townsville needs Labor's bill enacted now. People like Chris and Claire need ASIC protection now. How dare the LNP put insurance companies before Townsville flood victims? I demand that the LNP government extend parliament and pass this bill immediately.
Queensland: Floods | Questions without Notice | House debates
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...
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?
Closing the Gap | Ministerial Statements | House debates
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...
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 Nations people is over. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have a very high incarceration rate and very poor health outcomes. Poverty and inequality are extraordinarily high. We must engage and collaborate with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters, because this is their land—it always was and it always will be. Labor believe that we need a new focus to achieve the targets set out in the Closing the Gap framework, and we welcome the opportunity to collaborate with our First Nations people because we know that a genuine partnership with First Nations people is essential to bring about change. This LNP government has failed to genuinely engage with First Nations people. Whether it's Closing the Gap, the Community Development Program, the Indigenous Advancement Strategy or constitutional recognition, this government has consistently pursued flawed policy and failed to genuinely engage with First Nations people in the design and implementation process. If those opposite were serious and truly committed to ensuring First Nations people have a say in the matters that affect them then they would immediately reverse their opposition to a constitutionally enshrined voice for First Nations people. Under a Shorten-led government, a voice for the First Nations people will be enshrined in our Constitution and it will be one of our first priorities. This is a genuine commitment and we will work in partnership with our First Nations peoples. My electorate of Herbert includes the largest discrete Aboriginal community, Palm Island, with a population of anywhere between 3,500 and 5,000 people. Fifty-one per cent of the population on Palm Island is under 25 and it's approximately eight per cent of the electorate. Palm Island has a horrendous penal history, but the traditional owners, the Manbarra people and the Bwgcolman people, are strong and resilient people. But they have some unique challenges that the LNP government are completely ignoring. Palm Island's unemployment rate is almost 29 per cent and, when you consider that 51 per cent of the population is under 25, that is extraordinarily high. Instead of working with the community to address this, the LNP government have cut the national partnership on remote Indigenous housing, a 10-year $5.4 billion program which expired in June 2018. For Palm Island, this has meant further job losses. Because of the LNP cuts to vocational education and training and the national partnership on remote Indigenous housing, seven apprentices on Palm have lost their jobs. These cuts are doing nothing to assist in closing the gap. In fact, it is this sort of poor decision-making and lack of vision by this LNP government that is failing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples not only in my electorate of Herbert but across this nation. I have a strong and longstanding relationship with the people of Palm Island that stems from well before my election to this place. As I said earlier, the residents of Palm Island, the Bwgcolman and Manbarra peoples, are resilient and strong, but they need support to achieve economic sustainability. They are passionate about their community, their history and their vision for a thriving, prosperous and economically sustainable island. Last year, it was their 100-year anniversary and they celebrated with a focus on the past, the present and the future. The future was formed around the young people and their vision for their community. I have been enormously proud to support Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council in securing funding for local projects such as: the better connected project, which improved connectivity between the Palm Island council and community members, staff and other agencies; and the small business incubator project, which enabled residents to have a space for entrepreneurial small-business endeavours which will stimulate small-business growth and create much-needed employment opportunities. I am proud to be part of a Labor team that will invest an extra $750,000 in our first three years to the Bwgcolman Community School on Palm Island. This investment will ensure every child will get the quality education that they deserve. I will continue to work with the residents and the Palm Island Shire Council to ensure that they receive their fair share. Together, we will continue to strive for more opportunities for the residents to ensure that we do close the gap. Labor have worked with our First Nations peoples. We have co-designed and announced policies that will assist in closing the gap. A Labor government will provide $10 million to programs that will assist in the healing of the stolen generation and their descendants nationwide and be administered by the Healing Foundation. These programs will support intergenerational healing, family reunion and return to country. Labor will work with First Nations peoples and set justice targets, reduce incarceration rates and improve community safety. In our first 100 days, a Shorten Labor government will convene a national summit for First Nations children. It is very clear that Labor are serious about working with our First Nations people in order to make positive and meaningful changes to their lives and the lives of their children. Governments cannot any longer turn a blind eye to the reality of failed targets. In order to meet our targets, as I have said, we must engage in genuine and collaborative partnership. We must engage in truth-telling. We must admit our weaknesses and failures of the past and take serious and immediate actions that will improve the lives of First Nations people and give them the opportunity to tell their stories. Labor believes that the notion of 'business as usual' cannot continue and is no longer an option. First Nations people must have a permanent and ongoing say in the issues that affect their lives if we are to ever close the gap. I am proud to work in this place with the Hon. Linda Burnie, Senator Pat Dodson and Senator Malarndirri McCarthy in a Labor team that is trying very hard to close the gap for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters into the future.
Early Childhood Education: Preschool Funding | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
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...
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 early education for some of Australia's most vulnerable people—our young children. This government has had every opportunity to provide ongoing funding but, in the usual form, it has refused to do so. There is no funding in the 2018-19 MYEFO to fund four-year-old preschool kindergarten after this year. Labor introduced universal access to early education in 2009, but this LNP government has failed to commit to extending the funding beyond this school year. This LNP government has been true to form and, since being elected in 2013, it has begrudgingly only ever rolled over funding from one year to the next. Our children, our parents, and providers all rely on this critical funding. If the funding cut goes ahead, they will be unable to plan for the future, sign long-term leases, lock in employment contracts or prepare their budgets for 2020. For those families with three-year-olds who are planning to send their children to kindy or preschool next year, under the Liberals, they will lose more than $1,200 per child. Under the Liberals, parents will have to choose between paying higher fees or keeping their kids at home from the next year. It's interesting to note that this government sees education as a cost. I find that absolutely extraordinary. Education is an investment. It is an investment in the very future of this nation. Not only is this funding uncertainty terrible for families; it's also destructive for providers and their staff, who have no guarantee that they'll even have a job next year. In Queensland, this will affect nearly 70,000 children. In my electorate of Herbert, this will affect 2,484 children. It is outrageous that this LNP government views education as a cost, as I have said. In contrast, Labor's national preschool and kindy program will see the biggest ever investment for children across Australia. It will deliver ongoing funding for four-year-olds and, for the very first time, extend this to three-year-olds. Only Labor will give every child the early education opportunities that they need for the best start in life. Labor's national preschool and kindy program will provide ongoing funding for four-year-old preschool and kindy, and this will be extended to include three-year-olds. Labor's commitment will help expand access to quality early learning for children. Labor's policy will provide subsidised access to 15 hours of preschool and kindy for three- and four-year-olds from 2020-21—again ensuring that every child has the opportunity to access those vital two years of learning before formal schooling starts.
Small Business, Queensland: Floods | Statements by Members | House debates
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...
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)
Economy | Private Members' Business | House debates
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...
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 trainees and apprentices we have lost in Townsville, which equates to 1,557 people, all because consecutive LNP governments have cut $3 billion from the TAFE sector; 2,487—that is how many families in Herbert will be worse off under the LNP changes to child care; $2,000—that is how much extra an average family will have to pay under the LNP's early learning charges; seven per cent—that is the percentage of north Queenslanders, who, due to the LNP government's Medicare freeze and the high cost of accessing medical services, have stopped accessing care when needed in the last year; $142—that is the median out-of-pocket cost for a north Queenslander; 26 per cent or 6,475 people or 55 people a day—that is the number of people over the last six months who presented to the Townsville hospital with minor ailments like coughs, because they can't afford to see their GP because of the LNP's Medicare freeze; 12 doctors and 25 nurses—that is how many jobs will be lost at the Townsville hospital because of the LNP government's $9 million cut; $36 million—that is the amount this government is cutting to Central Queensland University; 14—that's the number of jobs lost because James Cook University was forced to cut their arts degree because of the LNP's $34 million cut to JCU; 442—that is how many fewer construction businesses there are in Townsville than when Labor left office, a drop of 15.7 per cent; 153—that is the number of retail businesses that have closed in Townsville under the LNP, a fall of 17 per cent; seven—that is the number of jobs lost on Palm Island because of this government's cut to the National Partnership on Remote Housing; zero—that is how much the LNP have delivered for energy infrastructure for Townsville. These are the numbers the LNP government needs to be working on, because it is the government that has caused these disturbing numbers. Townsville is not getting its fair share under this LNP government. Here are a few more numbers: $100 million—that is Labor's commitment to deliver long-term water security for Townsville, which has been matched and water security will be delivered, and the government came to the table 552 days after Labor; $200 million—that is Labor's commitment to deliver energy infrastructure; $23.5 million—that is Labor's commitment to Townsville schools; $1.7 billion—that is Labor's commitment to early learning. One last number that I will leave you with is the 18th of the fifth—the last day an election can be held in regional Queensland, where we can vote out of a government that forgets us and vote for a Labor government that will remember us.
Australian Natural Disasters | Private Members' Business | House debates
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,...
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 funding, but many residents are not aware of this, and I am sure the department staff are stressed. No-one from the government has come to ask me about what is happening on the ground. In fact, I am yet to receive any communication at all from this LNP government about anything to do with this unprecedented weather event in my electorate of Herbert. Now is not the time for us to be stingy or play politics. The people in my community just want to know the simple facts about the disaster relief payments. Changes via Twitter are not helpful when people are already very stressed, and in many cases they are receiving conflicting and confusing information regarding the payments. To receive a year's rainfall in nine days is unimaginable. We measured the rain not in points or inches but in metres. However, through these unprecedented and dangerous conditions, the ADF, emergency services, SES and council workers were at the ready. To those police officers, ambulance workers, firefighters, Defence personnel, SES volunteers, council workers and Ergon workers, who were out at all hours of the day and night assisting residents to safety, I say a huge thank you. To all of the thousands of volunteers who have been out helping those who are affected by the floods, I say: a big thank you to you too. To those businesses and organisations who have donated food, material items and financial assistance during this time: I thank you for your generosity. To the Townsville Local Disaster Management Group and the advisory group, the local Bureau of Meteorology and local media: thank you for working 24 hours a day to ensure that residents were kept well informed. I want to especially acknowledge and thank the Townsville mayor, Councillor Jenny Hill, for her leadership in this very difficult time. Her commitment to our city is simply outstanding. Lastly but not least, I want to thank the people of Townsville. This has been an extraordinarily difficult and stressful time for our community, but we have shown real community spirit and resilience. We will overcome the challenges that lie ahead, and we will be a stronger city at the end of this journey. But we must also take care of ourselves, our family and friends and also notice when there are people who don't seem to have anybody around to support them, to lend a listening ear. However, let me be very clear: we do need to have very clear and concise criteria so that the people of my community can understand exactly what they need to get their disaster relief money paid to them.
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...
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.
Queensland: Floods | Bills | House debates
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...
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. Before coming to Canberra for the past week of sittings, and over the weekend, I visited many residents, assisting in the clean-up and helping people to access disaster relief funding and make their insurance claims. It was heartbreaking to visit residents whose household goods and belongings had been piled up on the footpath because their houses were covered in water, mud, mould or sewage. On top of that, I heard one consistent message: people had been denied the federal government disaster recovery payment. This shocked and angered me, because I could see the devastation of people's homes. I could smell the mud and the mould and the sewage. I walked across muddy floorboards. I asked myself the question: how is it that Townsville residents are being denied assistance when they need it most? The more people and homes I visited, the more complaints I heard, and they were from people who lived in the red zone. Their homes and possessions had been destroyed but they were denied federal government assistance. I am talking about people like Cherrie Vitali. Cherrie lives on Queens Road in Hermit Park. The water came up and into her home. There was mud everywhere. I saw her damaged washing machine and other whitegoods on the footpath. If the LNP government doesn't believe me then there is plenty of evidence to show that this is a fact. Cherrie was so angry that she used one of her flood-damaged tables to express her outrage at being denied the LNP government disaster relief money that is rightfully hers. Cherrie is just one of many. I visited Elaine in Railway Estate. She lives in an old, two-storey Queenslander. Her pool was full of mud and sewage. Her entire bottom floor was covered with water. Her irreplaceable family antique furniture had been ruined. Elaine has also been denied the disaster recovery money, because this LNP government has put restrictions on the principal place of residence. Because Elaine's bedroom and kitchen were on the top level, the damaged ground level was not recognised as part of the house and Elaine was not able to claim the federal government assistance. I also visited an Aboriginal family in Roberts Street, Hermit Park, and this was very distressing. The family of two parents and four children, who had relatives visiting from Normanton, were renting a Queensland Housing flat. One of their visitors was blind. The water had come up past their windows and they'd had no power for six days. The mud smelled and the mould was growing. They had lost everything. The Salvation Army had delivered beds, and the family were waiting to be relocated. They had a very small esky with some ice and soft drinks but very little food. They were denied assistance because they reported that the water came through their window. Unfortunately, they did not understand what 'inundated' meant. What sort of nonsensical and nonsense response was that? Why were they not entitled? It shouldn't matter how the water came in—through your front door or back door, through the roof or through the window. The fact remains that the water came into their home and they lost everything. Surely, if water comes in through a window, it has come in through the doorway first in a flood situation. In this case, clearly, it is not so for the LNP government. There was then Theresa and Tony at Kirwan, who have three times been denied any federal assistance due to the water not being deemed as 'rising water'. There is Tarnie of Cranbrook, who was also told she was not eligible. That was even though she had water coming through her windows, her carpets were flooded and she had lost her furnishings. She was told that she was ineligible because she was not in one of the marked flooded areas. Well, here's a thought: water doesn't always follow flood maps. There was Brett in Stuart, who has described having a waterfall through his house; but he was not eligible. He has no idea why he was ineligible. During a time of natural disaster, people are stressed and they need help immediately. Just to help this LNP government understand that, there are people in my community who have no home, no food and no electricity—they have nothing. This disaster relief funding is not there for the government to be stingy; it is there to help people in distress immediately. These restrictions are not the fault of Centrelink staff. These restrictions are purely the fault of the federal government. Labor understands that when you experience a natural disaster and you lose your home and belongings then you need immediate assistance. That is why, under Labor in 2011, after Cyclone Yasi, we made it easy for Townsville residents to be able to access the help that they needed immediately. Labor's disaster relief funding was simple to access. If you were locked in or could not access your home for 24 hours, you received vital assistance. If you had no power for more than 48 hours, you received vital assistance. It was just that simple. This LNP government set out the following restrictions for the people of Townsville: you had to be seriously injured; you or an immediate family member had to have died; there needed to be major damage to at least 25 per cent of the interior of your principal place of residence; your principal place of residence had to be breached, exposing at least 25 per cent of the interior of your residence to the elements; or your principal place of residence had been declared structurally unsound. That is a very stingy set of criteria. After a massive backlash, the LNP government decided to make some changes, but the criteria were still completely unreasonable for flood affected victims. Townsville residents still have to prove that floodwater has covered the interior floor of their principal place of residence—and this is a problem when you live in a two-storey building—even if their principal place of residence has been declared structurally unsound, which is why Elaine in Railway Estate is still excluded because of the government's strict eligibility requirements. How does someone not eligible when she lives in the worst affected area, her pool was destroyed and her entire bottom floor and all her belongings in it were destroyed? This LNP Prime Minister was making updates to the eligibility via Twitter, leaving Townsville residents frustrated and confused. The Department of Human Services' staff were also confused. I am angry on behalf of my community. So far, 17,466 people have signed a petition against this government's ridiculous restrictions, which hurt Townsville's residents during our time of need. There is then the LNP's out-of-touch requirements regarding proof of eligibility. Under Labor in 2011, residents were just required to show their Medicare card and their driver's licence. Under the LNP government, you must provide evidence of damage, including photos. This is very difficult for some people who had no power, no access to power recharge their batteries to take the photos on their mobile phones or no access to cameras. If you are a Townsville resident, you cannot walk into one of the Centrelink offices to ask for assistance with processing. That's because we only have a line to Melbourne to ask for assistance. This is an absolute joke and an absolute slap in the face to the Townsville Centrelink staff, who do a remarkable job every day. But those staff have been forced to make decisions for residents that are not at all helpful to the people in my community. I am asking the LNP government to, please, not kick us when we are down. Townsville survived 1.65 metres of water. We don't need the LNP's ludicrous restrictions. What we do need is an LNP government to take immediate action to remove the restrictions and employ more Centrelink staff. Labor has committed to 200 more Centrelink staff for Townsville, and now is the time for the LNP government to match Labor's climate and get the resources and staff on the ground to help the people of Townsville who have been affected by these devastating floods.
Queensland: Floods | Constituency Statements | House debates
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...
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 told that there may be wait times to be called back by a week or maybe longer just to find out if I'm approved or not. Are you able to find out why we are being put on a wait list instead of a decision being made there and then? Obviously due to this constantly happening it's causing long wait periods which makes it hard to come up with the funds to fix the damage and I'm sure I'm not the only one who's annoyed about this. Well, David is right: he is not the only person who was annoyed. There are thousands across Townsville who, like him, are experiencing some waiting times and being denied vital assistance. I visited a family in Robert Street the other day who had been told they were not eligible for any money. There was a blind man in that place. They had nothing. They had an esky with ice and soft drink. They had no food. This is unacceptable. (Time expired)
Queensland: Floods, Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry | Adjournment | House debates
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...
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 temporary accommodation was separate to contents claim, but we needed to accept cash payout anyway—told that direct payment to accommodation was unlikely to be accepted by accommodation. Not true. 7. We were forced to find furnished accommodation that was within financial bracket communicated by CommInsure. They paid for two weeks temporary accommodation. 8. Request to extend accommodation denied—terms of policy ignored 9. Request to extend granted after multiple queries regarding policy terms. 10. Supervisor of claim phones to inform that our request to extend our entitlement to temporary accommodation was beyond reasonable because: we required a furnished apartment we were looking to find equivalent rental properties 11. Supervisor encouraged: we lower our standards to consider unfurnished accommodation—his assessor wrote off all of our contents 12. Supervisor encouraged: we consider accommodation further from schools and my work—second car and push bike written off meaning I will have to live within walking distance— that is, of work. It goes on: 13. Supervisor encouraged: we consider lower standard of living accommodation so that we stop our need for temporary/emergency accommodation We are massively stressed and traumatised from losing everything we own. Our experiences with CommInsure have made or stress levels so much worse. We've had to seek medical advice/intervention as a result of CommInsure induced stress. The stress and time needed to deal with CommInsure stalling and bullying tactics has also delayed my return to work. Can you please help? Well, Matt, I can, by standing here today in this place and fighting for you. Matt and his family have survived the worst floods in Townsville's history. But what they can't put up with are the bullying tactics of CommInsure. Matt and his family should not have to put up with these bullying tactics, because the LNP government should do what they are paid to do by hardworking taxpayers like Matt. They should do their job of governing, and enact the banking royal commission's recommendations instead of protecting the interests of the banks. I demand that the LNP government put Townsville flood victims before their banking mates. People like Matt, in our community, should not be under this undue stress and pressure at a time when they have lost everything. I cannot believe that an insurance company would suggest to someone that they lower their standard of living. That is outrageous, with three young children and with one car gone and the bike gone. They can't get to work. How do they get their child to school? It is simply unacceptable. This government must act upon the banking royal commission recommendations immediately.
Queensland: Floods | Statements by Members | House debates
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...
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.