Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over the summer break, I conducted a survey in my electorate of Herbert where I asked local residents what the most important issue was for them. Of the 722 respondents, the No. 1 issue, by an overwhelming 70.5 per cent, was water. Water was the No. 1 issue. At the very first sitting of parliament this year, I am proud to stand in this place on behalf of Townsville residents to bring their demands to Canberra.

The facts are plain and simple. Water is the No. 1 issue, and Townsville is currently on level 3 water restrictions. The Ross River Dam is at less than 16 per cent. It is currently costing the Townsville City Council $35,000 a day to pump water from the Burdekin Dam, and because of this they are more than $2.8 million in debt. Our so-called wet season has come and gone with very little rain. The Turnbull government's lack of action on water is crippling the Townsville economy. Just last month, Day Dawn Nursery, a business that had operated in our community for more than 30 years, closed its doors. The owner of the nursery said it was an example of how Townsville was paying the price for poor water management. Townsville businesses should not have to pay the price for the Turnbull government's lack of commitment to water security.

Then there are our turf farmers. The turf industry in the greater Townsville region has more than halved since this drought started. Last year, I met with turf farmers Lachlan and Sacha, who own Paragon Gardens. Lachlan and Sacha have worked so hard to keep their business afloat, and they have sought help to diversify. They had to let their apprentice go, which nearly broke their hearts. It is not easy to sit with a couple who are both reduced to tears because they are wondering how they are going to keep their business going. They deserve better. They should not have had to terminate their apprentice, especially with our youth unemployment rate as high as 20 per cent. At least half of our turf farmers have closed their doors. The worse thing about this is that none of these businesses had to close. No-one should have had to close their doors. No-one should have had to lose their job, because the solution to Townsville's drought problem lies in the construction of stage 2 of the Burdekin Dam. Stage 2 of the construction would give Townsville a long-term water supply. Labor has committed $100 million towards long-term water security.

The Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, has listened to our community, has heard our cries and he responded with cash on the table. We have not had one word from the Turnbull government, despite the fact I have made 15 speeches about water in this place since I came here in 2016. This government is so out of touch. In fact, no-one from the Turnbull cabinet or government has said anything or delivered one thing for water in our community. It is only Labor that is committed to addressing Townsville's water security, and I urge the Turnbull government to match our commitment.