View the recording of this speech here.
Record of Proceedings, 12 March 2024
Tropical Cyclone Alfred and the floods and rain that followed the cyclone have touched every corner of the Scenic Rim electorate. The Logan and Albert rivers reached flood levels that are not unprecedented but significant and caused damage to public assets, farms and other property. I understand that Beaudesert and Districts Little Athletics was impacted again after receiving significant damage in November 2024 from other flood events. I know there are people in Ipswich who are still without power tonight. Energex and Ergon people are working very hard to restore power to them and the Logan City part of the electorate as well. I want to acknowledge the hard work of locals there who helped each other out and the leadership of Councillor Scott Bannan of Logan City Council, who worked with council and the LDMG to help people out.
In the Fassifern area, where I live, significant flooding took place. Many roads were blocked and properties impacted by the significant rainfall that came down. The effort that went into ensuring people were looked after in the event of bad situations occurring was significant and showed a great deal of community initiative, so I thank everyone who was part of that. There has been a lot of coverage of the bad impact on Tamborine Mountain around Tamborine, Canungra and Beechmont. We need to recognise that for these communities it is the second time in around 14 months a really significant storm has hit this area. On Tamborine Mountain and in Tamborine, many people are still without power.
Lots of trees have come down and property has been damaged. There is a feeling of isolation for many in that community as a result of being without power and without communications. I was there yesterday and I felt the isolation because the mobile phones do not work, and that is significant. They are reeling and I want to thank the volunteers who have helped out that community so much, including the SES, the rural firies and the chainsaw gang, those volunteers from the community who took it upon themselves to go out and clear roads. The Tamborine Mountain Presbyterian Church opened its premises up as a community centre where people have been gathering, using mobile NBN and supporting each other. There was such a great local organisation of volunteers on the mountain to help each other out.
I urge Energex and Ergon to keep working hard to restore power on the mountain and at Beechmont. It went out at 9.30 last Thursday night at Beechmont and they are feeling very cut off. We need to do all we can to support them at this time after this significant storm.