Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Furner for his continued interest in repairing and rebuilding Queensland after those devastating floods. One hundred per cent of the state was declared a disaster area. All can remember the terrible loss suffered at Grantham, where devastating floods caused much devastation and loss of life. In Far North Queensland, within a very short while of the floods, Cyclone Yasi struck, impacting Cardwell and Mission Beach along the Cassowary Coast.

The Gillard government are spending close to $6 billion rebuilding Queensland. Most of the funds are for the reconstruction of essential public and community infrastructure such as roads. In fact, we took the unprecedented step to advance $4 million so Queensland could get on with the job of rebuilding the state. This meant that local councils could start the rebuild with their costs being able to be covered quickly, not waiting for reimbursements. It meant that councils like Brisbane, then headed by Mayor Campbell Newman, could get on with the job of rebuilding their communities.

The reconstruction in Queensland is progressing. All 418 affected schools have been fully repaired and $47 million has been provided through personal hardship assistance. And there has been a range of work carried out through the help of both individuals and small businesses, who pitched in to do the clean-up work. State roads have been repaired—7,300 kilometres of damaged roads. But only 25 per cent have been fully reconstructed; a further 40 per cent need to be constructed. Much more work still needs to be done. When it comes to the work, former Premier Anna Bligh stepped up— (Time expired)