Matt Smith (Leichhardt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the recent weather event in the Far North. I returned home on Thursday last week to ensure that I was on the ground should the system intensify. While the system never made it to cyclone strength, it is not the wind that has concerned us but the rain. The resulting flooding caused some inundation at Wujal Wujal, with the Bloomfield Bridge going 2.1 metres under, and cut off roads and power across the southern cape. The crocodile tours that work the Daintree River lost boats, with one being washed 60 kilometres out into the reef. Across the river, the Daintree—with infrastructure still being repaired from Cyclone Jasper—lost its ferry when it broke free of its moorings, and the damage to the cables is still being assessed.

It is estimated that businesses across the river will lose up to $5 million in the next two weeks while the ferry is out of action. These are not large operators; these are family businesses. While we are resilient in the Far North and understand that this is something that is a part of our lives, it is always heartbreaking to see hardworking locals impacted by such natural disasters.

As it does, the community has rallied around, with a GoFundMe set up to buy new boats. We hope that, very soon, people are going to be traversing the Daintree again looking for those crocodiles. We aren't quite ready yet for more tourists, but, in the coming weeks, when the ferry returns, I would encourage everybody to head to the Daintree, visit one of the great natural wonders and check out our crocodiles.

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