SUBJECT: Queensland floods, Labor's and the Coalition's agenda for 2013
A podcast and mp3 download of this interview is available on the ABC website.
STEVE AUSTIN:
Bernie, let me come to you first. You toured parts of Queensland with Paul Pisasale and Wayne Swan, what stood out to you when you toured some of the areas you've seen?
BERNIE RIPOLL:
Well, the first thing probably is just the high emotion. People were really scared about what might happen, you know, keeping a very close eye on the flood waters and the rising river and just with that memory of what happened two years ago. We've got lots of people in some of the low lying regions, particularly around Ipswich, Western suburbs of Brisbane, around Jindalee, Mt Ommaney and other parts where they really copped it bad last time, you know, it was a national disaster and so, they were very emotional, but a lot of preparatory work going on so people really got in to it early this time. They were clearing out early. They were making sure their furniture was out, they were making sure that they were just organised. It was just good to be thee with them, good to just give them a bit of moral support and a bit of assistance and some good advice too about what was happening; keeping people up to date. That was the mood. If anything I think, it was outstanding to see the community come out once again. We made sure we used the social media to let people know, you know, come to this street and help so, Enid Street in Goodna which copped it really hard and Mill Street, and people were just coming with utes and trailers and trucks and saying where do you need me and just pointing to a house and saying go help them over there. So it was pretty good.
STEVE AUSTIN:
Is there any outstanding matters that people need to know about? Particularly around the Ipswich area, Bernie, that's sort of sticking in your mind?
BERNIE RIPOLL:
No, look I think things are under control. The river's coming down, it's coming down quite well. It looks like we've escaped the flood bullet as it were and with less than fifty homes affected throughout Ipswich it looks like very few around the Western suburbs of Brisbane, so that's pretty good. A few businesses, Hoopers Carpets, which got completely devastated last time. This time they managed to get everything out – so particularly for selling carpet – so they got everything up to higher ground and they managed. They had a little bit of water come in, but you know, they were smiling. They were just really happy that they were prepared and that they've escaped the worst, so that was pretty good.
STEVE AUSTIN:
Steve Ciobo, the situation on the Gold Coast. What's the latest information that you have? The Gold Coast was hit a little bit harder than people expected.
STEVE CIOBO:
Yeah, it was Steve. Look, I mean, of course the Coast tends to feel the brunt of those times. Cyclonic winds that were blowing through obviously with nothing between the ocean and the coastline. We're still seeing king tides which of course had backed water up through a lot of the canal estates and the coast and those high sweeps that are taking place across the surf are also causing a lot of scarping still and we've still got a lot of scarping damage on the coastline as a consequence of earlier storms that we had. There's about 13,000 residents still without electricity on the coast at the moment Steve, and that's the priority that I know that Council's putting on. I've spoken with the Mayor's office in terms of where their priorities are and their focus is really on doing a couple of things. Restoring power of course to the sewerage treatment works so that we don't have any problems there and I understand incidentally that the Gold Coast is supplying Brisbane with water as a consequence of water facilities being out in Brisbane, so it's good that we've got that grid that's able to work effectively. No one area of the coast was hit particularly hard, although obviously we did see significant damage, especially out, for example, Tugun on the Southern end of the coast and in the Northern areas around Hope Island and Coomera. Look, I think most people are counting their blessings and for those that were materially adversely affected it's always a massive shock and such a sense of dislocation as a result but I think that our emergency services personnel and Council and State Government are all responding in a marvellous way, frankly.
STEVE AUSTIN:
Is the Council in the Gold Coast on top of things in your area Steve Ciobo?
STEVE CIOBO:
Yeah, that's my impression. I was out and about on Monday and on Sunday. Incidentally, I went to a citizenship ceremony on Sunday afternoon and there was this almost bizarre three hour window of blue sky and stillness before it sort of whipped back around and started coming through again and that's just happened to be when the citizenship ceremony was on. But, the thing that I notice thought Steve is, and I can't thank, and I'm sure the community feels the same way, we cannot thank our emergency services personnel and the SES enough. When I was returning back to my home on Sunday afternoon and it was quite squalling and raining, it was the police that were standing in the traffic intersections where all the lights had gone out, directing people obviously through those intersections and I thought to myself – thank goodness we have such dedicated men and women because they really just do an outstanding job.
STEVE AUSTIN:
This is 612 ABC Brisbane. ABC Coast FM on the Gold and Sunshine Coast. Steve Austin is my name. I'm speaking with Steve Ciobo, Federal Liberal Member for Moncrieff and Bernie Ripoll. Bernie is the Federal Labor Member for Oxley and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer. Flood proofing. This has been the second extraordinary event in two years, in other words, twice we have had a one in 100 year events chaps. The insurance have made the point last night that they don't think enough flood mitigation work has been carried out by state and local authorities. The Queensland Premier has just given some weight to that. What's your view? Bernie, can I come to you? You toured Ipswich. Paul Pisasale rejected that criticism. What's your view Bernie Ripoll?
BERNIE RIPOLL:
Well I think there has been some work done in the past and, in fact, I can recall right in the middle of the drought quite a number of years ago there was all this flood mitigation work and people were scratching their heads and going 'who'd be mad enough to do that? We're in a drought, we're not going to get another flood' and then 2011 hit. There is work being done. I know a lot of creeks and a lot of waterways have been worked on in the Ipswich area and particularly around Goodna with the new Ipswich motorway there were a few issues around some of the water flows. There's been some major pipe work done through there specifically to mitigate flood and that's been effective this time, very effective. So you're seeing that progressive improvement with flood mitigation and I think as we better understand where the floods occur and how they occur, particularly given the fact that they are all different and I'm glad you raised that it was a one in 100 year event. It just so happens that we've had two in two years so I'm not sure how the one in 100's work anymore. I don't think they really exist. This climate volatility that we're seeing I think it's something that was predicted in the past, but I think it's something we're just going to have to get used to. While we've got this flooding around here on the East coast of Australia there's still high fire danger warning in parts of Queensland and Western Australia, Victoria and parts of New South Wales have just come out of bush fires. So, we've really got some massive challenges ahead for us, so it's not just about flood mitigation, but a whole range across that area. And can I just add? Steve Ciobo said something really important about the SES and our emergency services personnel; police, all the firies, all the people who come out and work, and they really are fantastic people. They work extremely long hours throughout the night. They're there with a smile on their face willingly helping everybody out, just like the communities come out. We saw it in 2011, this mass outpouring; I think something that's almost uniquely Australian. I'd go as far as saying that because I can remember having a conversation with people that are new Australians and they were saying, they were helping out, and they were saying in their country this wouldn't happen. People wouldn't be supporting others, but here they felt that this was a normal thing to do and something that was really Australian. It's one of the great things that comes out of these disasters.
STEVE AUSTIN:
Steve Ciobo, the insurers have made the point that not enough flood mitigation work has been carried out by state and local authorities. What's your view on this given what you've seen?
STEVE CIOBO:
Well, if I was an insurer writing out the cheques, I'm sure that would be my opinion as well. The reality is that, I think, we sometimes lose track of just how much is done. Before we came on air this morning, Steve, Bernie and I were having a chat about the relativities of damage between the coast and Brisbane and I was saying it is interesting, always my perception is that Brisbane always seems to be hit harder, at least the damage seems to be more significant in Brisbane.
STEVE AUSTIN:
We're built on a flood plain, that's why. Brisbane is a flood plain.
STEVE CIOBO:
It's more the wind I was talking about. Damage to the trees in places like Keperra and the Gap and places like that. Bernie made the point that it's probably the building code. When I think about it, I suspect that's what it is because there are of course different building code conditions depending on where you're placed. On the coast where homes are built to withstand a much higher intensity of wind and the like, whereas in Brisbane that's probably not the case. I'm not an expert obviously in this area, but my point really is this though, there are a lot of improvements that are made, whether it's the building code and the conditions of homes to prevent damage to begin with; to mitigate damage to begin with. Whether it's road design and construction which saves lives and prevents fatalities, you know, across the board there are so many examples of ways in which the community has improved remarkably and whilst I am sympathetic to the need to continue to mitigate, which of course must happen, I don't want to lose sight of the fact that, and this is not a partisan comment this is governments of all flavours and persuasions, the reality is that there has been ongoing work that has improved safety and outcomes year upon year upon year and I think that when people sometimes complain about the costs of certain aspects of building a new home or whatnot, inbuilt in those costs are of course design mechanisms that will mean in the future, that there's less damage done and greater safety to life and limb which this is all just part of that incremental approval that will take place.
STEVE AUSTIN:
I have to go in just a moment chaps, but I know you're in Canberra because Federal Parliament is starting again. What's the agenda for the immediate future for the Labor side of politics, Bernie Ripoll first of all?
BERNIE RIPOLL:
Well, like everyone we've got a big year this year. We've got a legislative agenda we still need to get through, the NDIS, there's some major work that needs to be done in terms of finishing off parts of our legislative program that we want done, certainly in my area around financial services and the regulator around financial markets. We're continuing to do all of that work as well. For us, it's business as usual in that sense and making sure that things we said we will do, we will have done and of course, dealing with natural disasters. We're coming back to a Parliament, once again, which will be dominated by issues around what we need to do to continue to assist people. We do that already through our national programs, through our defence force to help in natural disasters and also through funding assistance and financial assistance to ordinary people who have been affected. Of course, an election later this year. Much later this year, we'll have many opportunities before an election to talk more on radio.
STEVE AUSTIN:
Steve Ciobo, what's on the agenda for the conservative side of politics, the Liberal side of politics?
STEVE CIOBO:
Well, Steve the Prime Minister's speaking at the National Press Club today. Tony Abbott, the leader of the Opposition, is speaking at the National Press Club tomorrow so the two of them will, of course, outline and encapsulate plans for the year. For the Coalition we are engaging currently in a mini-campaign. Which I'm sure you're seen reported Steve. Our focus is on the strong plans that we've got for Australia's future; a very positive agenda about what we're going to do to make Australia a better place. With particular focus on what Tony's termed a diverse five-pillar economy. We want to make sure that we've got competitive manufacturing industries, dynamic services sector, a growing knowledge economy as well a string agriculture and mining and then the other key component for us this year, of course, is the priority to build a powerhouse economy. We want to do that through lower taxes, more efficient government and more productive businesses. So that's really embracing our key themes, our positive plans for Australia's future and that'll be enunciated more clearly by Tony tomorrow.
STEVE AUSTIN:
Steve Ciobo and Bernie Ripoll, thank you to both of you.
BERNIE RIPOLL:
Thanks Steve.
STEVE CIOBO:
Thank you Steven.