A full record of Mark's Speeches are available at www.parliament.qld.gov.au
A full record of Mark's Speeches are available at www.parliament.qld.gov.au
Queensland has once again been forced to meet head-on another violent storm season, one that has left families grieving for lost loved ones and homes and businesses destroyed. From Bowen, Mackay and the Whitsundays, down to Logan, the Scenic Rim and our most southern border, Cyclone Debbie and the flooding aftermath cut a devastating path down our coastline over a miserable and prolonged period of time.
While the dedication and resourcefulness of our hardworking police, emergency services, SES volunteers and Corrective Services teams have never been in doubt, the 2017 storm season truly demonstrates the agility and swiftness of their expertise, skill and courage. During this time of uncertainty they exhibited a world-leading response to the ever-changing emergency situation, moving without hesitation to adapt as necessary the well-tested procedures that have made Queensland’s disaster expertise renowned, not only nationally but also internationally. Their professionalism shone through no matter where they were stationed: on the front line to the disaster response, working behind the scenes or doing overtime to maintain the safety of our entire state.
There is no doubt that their unparalleled preparation and rapid response saved lives and saved property. More important than this was their highly skilled professionalism, which they demonstrated time and time again. I saw firsthand their compassion. Despite being hot, exhausted, dirty, wet and often heartbroken by the distress of their fellow Queenslanders, the sensitivity with which they approached each situation will stay with me forever. Many left their own homes at risk to join their colleagues on the front line. Many more put on the overalls after the national disaster event to help with the clean-up of their fellow Queenslanders’ properties. I want to particularly thank our emergency services volunteers and our emergency services staff for what they have done to assist Queenslanders in our time of need, but I also want to thank their families for giving us the time that they should have been spending with them.
It is widely acknowledged that Queensland’s emergency preparation and teams are the best in Australia because with each natural disaster that confronts our state we learn something new. Queensland is the best at preparing for, responding to and recovering from disasters because we have to be, but, more specifically, Queensland is the best during these times of crisis because of the great people of our police and emergency services. On behalf of all Queenslanders I thank them.