Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to pay tribute to the untiring efforts of emergency workers and agencies working across my electorate to protect lives and property during this spring flooding. Right now, there are flood warnings for nearly every river, lake and creek in the electorate of Farrer: the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, Murray and Edward rivers, as well as the lower Darling.

Despite better weather this week, this is not over. The La Nina pattern has set in, perhaps until the end of the year. There's 50 millimetres of rain forecast for New South Wales in the south, starting from tonight. This will see river peaks continue for many more weeks. More farmers will be forced to write off their crops. Sporting and social events will be cancelled, schools closed—if not because of the rain, because you just can't get on the road to travel. It continues to drain the mental health of many who live along these rivers. It impacts wildlife. It increases mosquito breeding areas, adding to the risk of viruses such as Japanese encephalitis.

From Albury to Griffith, Narrandera and Darlington Point to Hay, Corowa, Deniliquin, Moama, Barham and more, communities are either divided by water, displaced from their homes and families, or down at the RFS shed, helping to fill sandbags, caring about the others in the community. This will end, and wide blue skies will return. But the clean-up and recovery will need to continue—as does my commitment to ensure the federal and New South Wales governments and your local councils will be there for you. (Time expired)