Flooding continues to be a concern

Well, here it is, nearly the end of the year, with only one more sitting week (at time of writing, but there are rumours that the reserve week will be activated – it remains to be seen).

It has been a busy couple of weeks, doing what I can to help people in flood-affected areas, in between attending awards ceremonies in Sydney one night and Broken Hill the next, before a hectic week in Parliament. But that is the life of the MP for Barwon.

Floods

On my way to Broken Hill last weekend I met a bunch of great people from the Northern Territory’s SES and from the Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service. They were headed for Menindee to help out with flood preparations. They came a long way from home to help out, but it is good to know that Menindee is getting some extra boots on the ground to shore up local emergency service crews.

I wished them all the best of luck in their efforts to save homes and make people safe.

At the moment, Menindee is bracing itself for those floodwaters, particularly working on making sure access roads can be kept open.

Elsewhere, including Lightning Ridge, Bourke, Walgett and Coonamble the floodwaters have already hit, with more rain predicted. I have heard stories about people desperate for fuel, food and other essential supplies, and I have worked with the SES and the government to try to sort out some of the supply issues.

I urge everyone to follow the NSW SES flood bulletins online or call 132 500 if they are having difficulties.

Yarrie Lake

The newly appointed Yarrie Lake Flora & Fauna Trust are kicking goals with news last week that they have been approved for funding from the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund for the supply, installation and upgrade of the electricity transformer and incoming mains power supply at Yarrie Lake Reserve.

Yarrie Lake is an important recreational location for locals and tourists, popular for swimming and boating. It is thought to have been formed by a falling meteor many millennia ago.

This upgrade will ensure the safe supply of power to Yarrie Lake visitors, bringing it up to date to meet Australian Standards.

Fixing our roads

One of the biggest issues facing country areas coming up to the next election will be fixing the state’s roads. I have been bringing the matter before Parliament, with a Notice of Motion and a Question Without Notice and raising it more directly with ministers and the Premier.

The disruption of supply chains to people isolated by floods and the inability of primary producers to transport their produce makes this a matter of national urgency.

It is a huge task facing councils, and they can’t do it alone. It requires a bipartisan response at all levels of government.

I have written to the federal Defence Minister to ask him if he can work with local councils to deploy defence forces with equipment such as graders, rollers and trucks to help keep roads open and in good repair.

I have also asked the federal Minister for Local Government to support this request and have spoken to the relevant state minister’s team, urging her to make the request for military help. But the roads need more than repair.

They need to be built to withstand future floods better and to keep supply chains open.

Last week in parliament, I also introduced a notice of motion about road repair, asking about getting help for councils, building more flood-resistant roads and ensuring communities are not isolated, and supply chains cut the way they have been.

I also put a question to the Premier on the same issue.

We need a plan involving all levels of government that involves getting the roads open as soon as possible, but that also looks at making our infrastructure more floodproof.