North West Sydney floods

Mr HAWKE (Mitchell—Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs) (10:03): I rise today to talk about the impact of the recent heavy rain and flooding that has occurred in parts of north-west Sydney, affecting my electorate of Mitchell and adjoining communities—and I acknowledge the member for Berowra and his community here as well. I want to acknowledge the incredible work of people who have worked within our system, our community, who have come together to help out during this severe weather system and ongoing tragedy. Tragically, yesterday a young man lost his life due to the rising and fast-flowing floodwaters in north-west Sydney. This young man was part of Australia's 64,000-strong Pakistani community, a guest in our country. I want to pass on our sincere condolences from Australia, from our government, from our Prime Minister, from our parliament, to his family, his friends and his entire community. I want to thank the Pakistani community for reaching out to me in north-west Sydney so I can help the family at this time. It was his first day on a job. It's a disaster for the family of this young man, so we pass on our thoughts and condolences to them.

Our thoughts are also with the neighbouring communities who have been badly affected and are suffering, impacted by the record rainfall, the one-in-50-year flooding and the Hawkesbury River overflowing. I want to thank Daniel McGovern, the Hills SES commander, and every single one of the Hills SES volunteers who are out on the ground and have been for a number of days now, fighting to stem a very difficult emergency and doing their absolute best against a very difficult emergency situation. We've seen the pictures on TV of emergency personnel upturned in boats, putting their lives on the line—they're doing it all the time to protect life and property—and selflessly working to make sure people are safe and fed.

I want to thank the Castle Hill RSL for opening its doors as an evacuation centre. I know some people have come. Some people thought it was a bit far, but, actually, the Castle Hill RSL is well appointed to take people from everywhere. They're very generous. They do it all the time. If it's fires or floods, they just open up their club, and they do a great job of looking after people. I know that the people there have been well looked after.

I want to thank The Hills Shire Council, St John Ambulance, the Red Cross, Anglicare, NSW Health, the police force, everyone who's on the ground—doing everything they can at the moment, working alongside our emergency services workers—the state and federal governments working together, and, of course, the community, who are doing everything in between, in situations where the emergency services can't be there. Sometimes creeks flood and they don't even show up on government maps, and communities rally together to sandbag houses to protect property. They come together as a community, protect themselves and do a great job of doing that.

We're very fortunate to have these amazing people across our community. We're fortunate to have the ADF now on the ground—boots on the ground; choppers in the air. The federal government will be supporting the state government effort. For this one-in-50-year flood, the cost is not known, the difficulties are not over and the challenges are going to continue. We're going to be right there to make sure, as a community, that we get through this together. We say to everyone: 'Please be safe. Please look after each other. Don't take risks. This danger is not over.'Thank you Deputy Speaker, I rise today to talk about the impact the recent heavy rain and flooding that has occurred in parts of North West Sydney affecting my electorate of Mitchell and adjoining communities and I acknowledge the Member for Berowra who is here as well. I want to acknowledge the incredible work of people who work within our system, our community who have come together to help out during this severe weather system and an ongoing tragedy.

I want to say to the house tragically yesterday a young man lost his life due to the rising and fast flowing flood waters in North West Sydney.  This young man was a part of Australia’s 64,000 strong Pakistani community and guest in our country. I want to pass on our sincere condolences from Australia from our Government, from our Prime Minister, from our Parliament to his family and his friends and his entire community and I want to thank the Pakistani community for reaching out to me in North West Sydney so I can help the family at this time, first day on a job its a disaster for the family and this young man so we pass on our thoughts and condolences to them.

Our thoughts are also with our neighbouring communities who have been badly affected and the suffering and impacted by record rainfall and a one in 50-year flooding and the Hawkesbury River of course overflowing.

I want to thank Daniel McGovern, The Hills SES Commander, and every single one of The Hills volunteers who have been on the ground and have been for a number of days now really fighting to stem a very difficult emergency and doing their absolute best against a very difficult emergency situation. We have seen the pictures on TV of emergency personnel upturned on boats putting their lives on the line, they are doing it all the time to protect life and property selflessly working to make sure people are safe and fed.

I want to thank Castle Hill RSL Club for opening their doors as an evacuation centre. I know some people have come, some thought it was a bit far but actually Castle Hill RSL is well appointed to take people from everywhere. They are very generous they do it all the time. Fires and floods they open up their Club and they do a great job looking after people. I know the people there are being well looked after.

I want to thank The Hills Shire Council, St John Ambulance, Red Cross, Anglicare, the NSW Health, the Police Force, everyone is on the ground doing everything they can at the moment working alongside our emergency services workers. State and Federal Governments working together and community of course doing everything in between where the emergency services can't be there. I know when a creeks flooded sometimes they don't even show up on government maps and communities rally together, sandbag houses, protect protect property, they just come together as a community protected themselves and doing a great job of it as well. 

We are very fortunate to have these amazing people across our community. We are fortunate to have Australia Defence Force on the ground, boots on the ground, choppers in the air. The Federal Government will be supporting the State Government effort.

This one in 50 year flood , the cost is not known the difficulties are not over the challenges are going to continue and we are going to be right there that as a community we get through this together but we do say to everyone please be safe, please look after each other and don't take risks this danger is not over.