Hartsuyker tables flood petition in Federal Parliament

June 24, 2009

Federal MP Luke Hartsuyker last night tabled a petition which calls the Rudd Government to provide one off cash grants to those affected by the March 31 floods.  The petition, which was tabled in the Federal parliament last night, had more than 6,000 signatures.

Speaking on the petition in the Parliament, Mr Hartsuyker said the Prime Minister had reneged on his commitment in the Parliament to provide the same assistance to March 31 flood victims as was being extended to those affected by a flood event in May.  “I rise to present a petition on behalf of the residents of Coffs Coast, because there has been substantial inequity in the treatment of the victims of the storm event of 31 March,” Mr Hartsuyker told the Parliament

“Our Prime Minister sees his way clear to promising assistance in this House—in the presence of the press gallery, in the full gaze of the national media—and delivers nothing. To our Prime Minister the plight of Coffs Coast storm victims is of no concern. He came into this House and promised them help on 25 May. He created a media opportunity, he danced in the spotlight and then he turned his back. He turned his back on many who had lost everything. He turned his back on the needy—people like 89-year-old war veteran Athol Hardie. He is a man with failing health who has lost everything. His house was destroyed and he was uninsured.

“The Prime Minister clearly believes that Athol Hardie is not worthy of assistance. The Prime Minister believes the countless pensioners, low-income earners and families affected by this storm are not worthy of assistance. The 6,000 Coffs Coast residents who signed this petition think differently. They think that the Coffs Coast storm victims deserve help. They deserve the help of this parliament and they deserve the support of this House. The 31 March storm event was declared a natural disaster, just like other storm events this year.

“Yet this Prime Minister turns his back. The muddy waters were just as destructive in March as they were in May, yet the Prime Minister turns his back. Why do you take this course, Prime Minister? Why did you mislead this House by saying that assistance to individuals would be forthcoming, when it was not?”

Mr Hartsuyker said the issue was an important matter of principle.

“It is an issue of equity—the simple principle that all Australians should be treated equally by this government, no more and no less. Six thousand Coffs Coast residents have spoken, and the Prime Minister will be held accountable for his disregard for the wellbeing of the needy in our region. It is absolutely outrageous that, by virtue of postcode, some Australians are being treated less well than others. It is a principle that is un-Australian. It is a principle that is not acceptable to the people of the Coffs Coast. It is a principle for which this Prime Minister will be held accountable.”

The petition calls on the House to

“Provide Coffs Harbour, Bellingen and Nambucca Shire residents affected by the March 31, 2009 floods the same Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment of $1000 per adult and $400 per child that has been afforded to victims of the May 2009 floods in northern NSW and south east Queensland.”

The petition will now be forwarded to the Federal Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin who has 90 days to respond.

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