Standing Up for Disaster-Impacted Communities

Living in the Whitsundays, we all know natural disasters are a matter of when not if.

Whether it's a cyclone, flooding, bushfires or severe weather, we've proven time and again what our community is made of. We roll up our sleeves, look after our neighbours and get on with the job of rebuilding. That's the Whitsunday way.

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Last week I joined five other Queensland mayors in Melbourne to deliver one simple message on behalf of our communities: don't weaken the disaster funding arrangements regional Queensland relies on.

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Between us, we travelled more than 16,000 kilometres because this matters.

The Whitsundays is one of Australia's premier tourism destinations. Tourism keeps local businesses open, puts food on family tables and supports thousands of local jobs. It's also why recovering quickly after a disaster is so important.

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Repairing roads, parks and public facilities is only part of the job. Just as important is restoring confidence. We need people to know the Whitsundays is open, safe and ready to welcome them back.

If confidence disappears, visitors stay away. If visitors stay away, businesses hurt and local jobs are put at risk.

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The current disaster recovery arrangements have helped communities like ours bounce back after events such as Cyclone Debbie and, more recently, Cyclone Kirrily. They allow councils to restore essential infrastructure quickly and help communities get back on their feet sooner.

That quick recovery is becoming even more important as we look ahead to our role as the Home of Olympic and Paralympic Sailing for Brisbane 2032. The world will be watching our region over the coming years, and we need to know that when the next disaster comes, and it inevitably will, we have a recovery system that gets us back on our feet quickly.

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This isn't about politics. It's about standing up for regional Queensland and making sure communities like ours aren't left worse off because of where we live.

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I'll always back the Whitsundays and continue working alongside councils across Queensland to protect the funding that helps our communities recover, supports local businesses and keeps people in local jobs.

Because when disaster strikes, getting back on our feet quickly isn't just important, it's essential. That's what our community deserves, and that's what I'll keep fighting for.

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