Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not just a chance to rebuild, but a chance to improve. Last month, WA's west Kimberley region, an area of my state I know particularly well, experienced what has been described as a once-in-100-years flood. This disaster is unprecedented in its scale, with meteorologist James Ashley outlining, 'The amount of water moving down the Fitzroy River in a day is about what Perth uses water-wise in 20 years.' Water levels at Fitzroy Crossing eventually peaked at 15.8 metres—1.8 metres above the previous record.

With homes and supermarkets and streets inundated, the pain and upheaval that this has brought communities across the west Kimberley already living with isolation and other challenges is difficult to imagine. From remote Indigenous communities to major towns such as Derby, there was the risk and in many cases the reality of being cut off due to road closures, including of a 700-kilometre section of the Great Northern Highway. At this early point in the recovery and repair, I pay tribute to those communities affected for the remarkable courage, determination and endurance that they have shown. They have been an inspiration to many across our country.

Thankfully, our Australian Defence Force has again demonstrated its outstanding professionalism, operating throughout the region to assist locals in every way possible. The delivery of essential food and medical supplies as well as emergency services personnel through fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft has provided a critical lifeline.

But the issues for those in the west Kimberley are far from over. Among them are food supply issues and power outages across many towns and communities. The WA McGowan government must now do more to plan and to catalogue the weaknesses revealed by these floods and ensure that when the next seasonal flooding occurs these communities are better prepared. (Time expired)