Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Macdonald for the question and acknowledge both his personal and, clearly, professional interest and commitment to this issue at the moment. Of course, our thoughts continue to be with the people of North Queensland as they begin a massive clean-up and reconstruction process.

The Prime Minister and the opposition leader visited some of the worst affected areas this morning. More than 1,200 ADF personnel are assisting with the recovery efforts in North Queensland. The ADF is working very closely with the Queensland government and a range of state and federal agencies as part of a comprehensive, whole-of-government response.

We have ongoing heavy rain and damaging wind gusts, which are affecting both the efforts to assess the damage from the cyclone and to begin the recovery process of affected communities between Ayr and Mackay. However, yesterday, two king aircraft completed wide area surveillance of potentially affected areas. As we have seen from the images online and further afield over the past two days, the damage to property in some areas is severe. Rotary-wing aircraft reconnaissance produced over 150 images for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, while our MRH90 helicopter transported 10 necessary medical staff to Proserpine. HMAS Melville, which is one of the Navy's hydrographic survey vessels, has completed port survey and rapid environment assessment of Abbott Point.

It is also important, I think, to acknowledge that the recovery work is in its early stages and the ADF is preparing itself for further requests for assistance. Those requests will of course be made in conjunction with the Queensland authorities and the other relevant federal authorities such as Emergency Management Australia. Defence continues in its efforts to pre-position resources from which ADF support can be provided in the affected areas, including those very remote centres.