Louise Markus (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the people of Macquarie, I rise today to offer our deepest sympathies to all Australians affected by the natural disasters which have taken place across our nation in recent months. To all who have made a contribution to the relief effort, whether through donations or a simple hug, during these dramatic and testing circumstances: I acknowledge your selflessness. Australia is a nation with a huge heart where mates help their mates in a very practical way. Communities met and mastered challenges—and, of course, we all know there are more ahead—not with words but with conviction and compassion, by putting their commitment to care for their fellow Australians into action.

Across our nation, roads, bridges, rail lines, power, telecommunications and utilities were destroyed, damaged or cut off, homes and cars were destroyed and, sadly, Australian lives were lost in natural disasters that will live long in our memories. Few states were left untouched, with floodwaters also surging into New South Wales and Victoria, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. As rivers breached their banks and raging waters and flash flooding reached record levels, so too did the Australian spirit. Every day revealed a new challenge. The media coverage graphically displayed the tragedy as it unfolded, touching the hearts of all of us as we watched desperate acts of courage, and inconsolable despair and grief as communities mourned their losses and counted the personal cost. After the floodwaters had subsided, we were all inspired by the massive response of thousands of volunteers who rolled up their sleeves to lend a hand as the mammoth clean-up got underway.

The people of the Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains are no strangers to natural disasters and can empathise with the flood and fire victims, having experienced the flooding of the Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers as recently as 1990, with peaks in excess of 13 metres. Fires also ravaged the Blue Mountains and the Hawkesbury in December 2001.

As recently as last week Sydney temperatures exceeded 40 degrees in a week-long heatwave that broke all living records. Fires in the Megalong Valley, Ebenezer, Blaxland Ridge and Mulgrave were brought under control by the hardworking Rural Fire Services brigades of the Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains, avoiding what could have been another potential natural disaster.

I make a very brief mention of these events to highlight that there are many Australians who would feel a connection to those affected by the recent floods and fires, and with that connection come the understanding, support and mateship that are necessary in the emotional recovery and rebuilding process.

In the Hawkesbury local resident Toni Walker was responsible for organising the Shoe Boxes of Love campaign that saw locals buying items that would be appreciated in the flood ravaged areas of Queensland, using a shoebox as the packaging, wrapping them and then dropping them into either the Hawkesbury Community College or my office. Over 300 boxes were collected from Hawkesbury residents in just two weeks from the start of our project—a great achievement. The boxes were transported to Queensland by Robert and Paul Campbell’s Charter Refrigerated Transport, while Hawkesbury Self Storage in South Windsor donated the packing boxes for transport and the University of Western Sydney Hawkesbury campus gave us the use of a van and a driver to get the boxes to Charter Refrigerated Transport. It was a great team effort.

I have lifelong friends in Gatton. They have a business in Laidley. I have chatted to them in recent weeks and during the tragedy. In fact, I spoke to my dear friend while she was sweeping out the business. At that point in time she was still standing knee-deep in water. She described how, while some of the businesses there would be able to start again and it would be a long road ahead to rebuild, there would be many that would be unlikely to recover and start off again.

In Central and South-East Queensland in excess of 17,500 homes were flooded or isolated by floodwaters, along with 3,000 business premises. In Far North Queensland, Cyclone Yasi damaged homes and businesses, flattening fields of sugar cane and destroying approximately 80 per cent of the banana crop, as well as leaving nearly 200,000 people without power at times last week.

In New South Wales, Weddin, Wellington, Warrumbungle, Cootamundra, Coonamble, Harden and Young shires were all declared natural disaster zones. In Victoria thunderstorms and flash flooding left 25,000 without power. In Tasmania heavy rain and flash floods ravaged the northern coastal areas, while Western Australia is battling fires that, as of Monday, had seen 59 homes razed.

Our hearts go out to all who have lost loved ones and personal possessions. It is vital that we acknowledge the efforts of all of the hardworking men and women from the emergency services organisations—the fireys, the police, SES workers—and the countless volunteers who worked day and night across affected states to answer the calls of those in need. Their work and service continues. I understand some of the SES volunteers from Macquarie dived in and went to help our neighbours in northern New South Wales. In that same vein 1,200 Australian troops were called to action, providing much-needed expertise, strength and emotional support to those in need.

During the floods three C130 Hercules from the Richmond RAAF Base aircraft and mobile air load teams were active throughout Queensland for Operation Queensland Flood Assist. Their tasks included delivering groceries to Charleville and Bundaberg, delivering rations to Mackay for use in Rockhampton and dispatching more than 100 tonnes of groceries from RAAF Richmond to RAAF Townsville, where they were then trucked south.

On New Year’s Eve a C130 Hercules transport aircraft with Defence staff on board took off from the RAAF Richmond airbase with a flexible habitat—a 100-person purpose-built temporary accommodation for residents of Emerald, 900 kilometres north of Brisbane. On Tuesday, February 1, two C130 Hercules from RAAF Base Richmond headed to Cairns with an aeromedical evacuation team to evacuate hospital patients before Cyclone Yasi hit. This highly successful operation saw 173 patients transferred from Cairns area hospitals to Brisbane. What made their effort even more courageous was that it took place in the dead of the night and was organised with very little notice. A C130 transported 40 litter patients, 13 walking patients and one family member as an escort, while another C130 took 32 litter patients, 10 walking patients and one family member. Two C17A Globemasters from RAAF Base Amberley also assisted in the operation, transferring another 101 patients.

RAAF Base Richmond’s cyclone support did not stop there. They have been supporting Operation Yasi Assist consistently since the cyclone hit the North Queensland coast last Wednesday night. On Thursday and Friday last week a pair of C130 Hercules flew into Cairns with mobile air load teams and forklifts from Richmond and Amberley. Their task was to unload cargo from the aircraft and break down that cargo at the destination. On Saturday, 5 February they sent one Hercules with communications equipment, water and food to Innisfail via Townsville. They also sent two Hercules loaded with groceries, one carrying 11 tonnes and the other with 13 tonnes, to Cairns from Richmond. Once in Cairns, the groceries were used to stock shelves for local residents. They did the same again on Sunday. The presence of an Australian uniform provides hope, comfort and strength. These men and women do us proud. To you all, we offer our gratitude and sincere thanks.

It is vital that we not lose sight of the fact that this rebuilding process is as much about healing the hearts and minds of the flood and fire victims as it is about rebuilding roads, power lines and bridges. It is important to pause and pay our respects to the victims of the floods and cyclone in Queensland and their families and, in so doing, to also reflect on the hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of lives that were saved by the collective efforts of professional and well-trained emergency services personnel, police and volunteers.

I again extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who lost loved ones, and to the people who have lost their homes, their livelihoods and their personal treasures. May you be comforted by the spirit of community and mateship so remarkably demonstrated by the unflinching courage of the rescuers, the professional management of the emergency response teams and the army of volunteers who spread to all regions during the crisis and clean-up. It is a long road ahead. It is at times like these that the Australian spirit inspires us to action, and this action will be required for a long time ahead.

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