I rise today to speak on behalf of people from my electorate of Bonner who have a disability and also those who provide unwavering support to and care for people with disabilities. The Bonner community had the opportunity to meet with the shadow minister for disabilities, carers and the voluntary sector, Senator Mitch Fifield. I invited Senator Fifield to Bonner so that those in my community who have a disability, or their carers, had a forum to exchange information, learn from one another’s experience, voice their concerns and pass on information directly to me as well as Senator Fifield.
With the support and assistance of Terry Forster, Principal of Mount Gravatt Special School, I hosted a roundtable discussion in the school hall. Both Senator Fifield and I were delighted with the number of people who attended, and it was certainly a great opportunity for me to hear the diversity of issues, particularly those relating to Centrelink processing and payments. A common theme for a number of people was the lack of training of Centrelink staff in relation to advising of all the options available to people with disabilities and their carers.

In addition, we heard about the frustration of those people who are faced with a continual renewal of their status as someone who has been diagnosed with a permanent disability. Rightly, they expressed to me the reality that, if someone is diagnosed as having a permanent disability, this diagnosis will not change as time goes on. The constant need to have continual medical confirmation of the permanence of their disability is frustrating.

Not surprisingly, there was much discussion about the draft national disability insurance scheme being considered by the Productivity Commission. The coalition are encouraged by the first draft of the Productivity Commission’s model for a national disability insurance scheme and we will continue to monitor developments by the Productivity Commission and work to ensure that the government responds generously to the final report due in July 2011.

The coalition is committed to better outcomes for Australians with a disability. The system is broken and needs to be fixed. Again, I would like to thank Terry Forster for his tireless work. I also thank all those people who work and took the time to attend this roundtable and make me and Senator Fifield aware of their concerns. My sincere thanks also go to Senator Fifield. I look forward to maintaining this conversation with my community and working closely with Senator Fifield going forward.

I rise this afternoon to speak in honour of two highly commendable volunteers of Coast Guard Brisbane on the recent announcement that Craig Bowen and Steve Creevey will receive a commendation for brave conduct. The latest bravery awards were officially announced today. Craig Bowen and Steve Creevey have been recommended for this prestigious award in recognition of their selfless conduct. Disregarding the danger to their own lives, Craig and Steve rescued 18 passengers from a dive boat that had been wrecked in rough seas at night on Flinders Reef north of Moreton Island in 2008.

Craig and Steve incredibly undertook this rescue in just a three-metre inflatable and used a torch to locate a narrow channel in the reef. They repeatedly took the small vessel into the high swell breaking over the reef until all passengers were rescued. Their bravery is to be truly commended and it is thanks to people like Craig and Steve and all the members of Coast Guard Brisbane that those of us who enjoy the water off the coast can do so knowing that we have such talented and selfless people prepared to assist if we need it.

I rise tonight to speak about a very special donation to the Brisbane flood recovery. As a result of the flood that so devastated the great city of Brisbane, my office and I wanted to do something special to raise money for the victims of that flood. We wanted to do something to support the clean-up of Moreton Bay that has been filled with silt and debris that washed out of the Brisbane River impacting the diverse flora and fauna of the bay and affecting many local businesses in that area that rely on the bay for their livelihoods.

Knowing that so many people across Brisbane and particularly on the bayside have an appreciation for and an affinity with fishing and that my electorate of Bonner is home to Wilson’s fishing rods, Australia’s premier fishing rod manufacturer, I decided to contact Wilson’s to see if they would like to donate five very special fishing rods that are unique and would fetch a premium price to aid in the flood relief.

I also knew that Alvey fishing reel company, an historic Brisbane based reel manufacturer for over 90 years, was a business that was a victim of the 1974 flood. I decided to contact Mr Bruce Alvey to see whether he would join with me and Wilson’s rods to manufacture five unique fishing reels to create a limited edition fishing reel and rod combination, the proceeds of which would be donated to the flood recovery.

I was delighted that both these Brisbane based companies were enthusiastic in producing a very unique fishing rod and reel combination and one that we all knew would appeal to a collector, regardless of whether or not they liked fishing.

The final specification of the Alvey fishing reel is made of Huon pine that is turned by a master craftsman and features a unique laser-cut design on the stainless steel face of the reel. The reel is adorned with an original 1950s Alvey badge that was salvaged from the 1974 floods from the original Alvey fishing factory that was situated in St Lucia, Brisbane.
These fishing rods are uniquely Brisbane made and are engraved by Brisbane’s premier engravers, John Hammond and his 2IC Duncan Vickers, who, at their own cost, very generously donated their master engraving on these unique fishing reels.

This project took on a life of its own but, even while in its embryonic stage, I was able to raise over $2,000 for the first fishing rod and reel combination. This was achieved without even knowing its technical specification but the purchaser, a Brisbane business identity Greg Willems, knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and in circumstances where the funds were going to such a great cause.

It did not take long once this initial fishing rod and reel was snapped up before interest in business circles allowed me to raise another $2½ thousand for the second fishing rod by local identity and fishing enthusiast, Doug Barton. The Wynnum Herald has featured an article on Doug’s acquisition.

The Italian chamber of commerce then had a fundraising auction for the victims of the Brisbane floods with the Lord Mayor as guest. The auction featured the bream fishing rod and reel combination. This again successfully reached an auction price of over $2,000, and I would like to thank the president of the ICCI Mr Santo Santoro and the secretary-general of the ICCI Miss Federica Ordorisio for helping me organise the event. I would like to thank the Wilson family, especially Graeme and Belinda; Mr Bruce Alvey; John Hammond; Duncan Vickers; and Kord Lucas.

The final two fishing rod and reel combinations are still available for collectors with a passion for fine craftsmanship and who want to simultaneously donate to a great cause. The money raised from the special project is going to the Lord Mayor’s flood relief fund with a request that these funds be directed towards the recovery of Moreton Bay.

It is with pleasure that I rise today to acknowledge the wonderful work of the many volunteers in the bayside suburbs of my electorate of Bonner. In particular, I would like to pay tribute to those who so tirelessly assist the Wynnum and Districts Chamber of Commerce and the Manly Chamber of Commerce.

The Wynnum and Districts Chamber of Commerce was established in 1951 and, as the chamber itself states:

From humble beginnings the Chamber is now a fully-fledged service provider to the business community.

I believe this should read that the chamber is ‘an invaluable provider to and supporter of the business community’. The chamber is ably represented by its general manager, Pete Baines, and its president, Phil Saunders. Pete is an incredibly hardworking individual who has been committed for so many years to ensuring that business in the area has a voice and is supported. Phil, as a local business owner, knows what it takes to make a small business successful and is taking the lead in the chamber to assist other businesses to thrive. All the chamber’s functions are inevitably extremely well facilitated by Ian Hill and his wife, Di. They are community leaders and have always tirelessly volunteered their time in support of others.

Acknowledgement is also due to David Farley, the President of the Manly Chamber of Commerce, and to Floranel Budziosz. David makes an incredible contribution to the community, and I thank him for all he has done for business and tourism in the Manly precinct. Floranel is also an integral member of both the Manly Chamber of Commerce secretariat and the Wynnum Manly Tourism and Visitor Information Centre. She is recognised as a tireless and wonderful contributor to her local community. In my experience, Floranel is an all-round lovely person. I know that the chamber is particularly grateful to Floranel for all her efforts and that each year she exceeds the chamber’s expectations. The chamber certainly believes that she deserves the thanks of every trader and property owner in her area as well as the thanks of the whole Manly community. I join them in those thanks.

All these people contribute so much to their local community, and it is only fitting that they receive acknowledgement. I know that my thanks are shared by all those that they assist.

It is with pleasure that I rise today to acknowledge and thank my community of Bonner for their generosity and commitment to assisting their fellow Queenslanders. So many people from my community assisted those threatened by floodwaters by filling and moving sandbags as the flood approached. I know that so many of those same people offered their time to volunteer in the clean-up. These were ordinary people who just wanted to help in any way they could to ensure their fellow Aussies were prepared for the inundation and then to get them back on their feet.

At the same time, I would like to thank and acknowledge all those silent donors in my community who so generously donated goods for inclusion in the special flood care packages. Flood care packages of sanitary and hygiene products were considered to be a very practical way for people to assist those in areas hardest hit and who had lost everything. This was not only in Brisbane but across the state of Queensland. My office was overwhelmed by the community’s generosity in responding to the call for donations for flood care packages. Given that the floods occurred at a time when many children were also due to start or return to school, the community included school notepads and pens in their donations so that many of those children had everything they needed to start school. My community was truly inspiring in their call to action and these were all people who were selfless in their donation and wanted no acknowledgement or recognition.

Since the flood my office has worked predominantly with the Red Cross to move all those donations out to the people who need them, and I know that they were very gratefully received. We have seen over 100 packages donated and the number continues to rise as people in the community keep donating. I am now working with the Liberal National Party women’s organisation to support those affected by Cyclone Yasi. So often a community’s true spirit is awakened at a time of crisis. From what I have witnessed, this is certainly the case of the Bonner community, but also the Queensland community. This is something that makes me so proud to be a Queenslander.

Mr/Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of the people in my electorate of Bonner but also those in greater Brisbane.

I am speaking today, in support of Lord Mayor Campbell Newman and his requests for the Gillard Government to provide assurances about what is considered to be “essential public infrastructure” under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.

I join the Lord Mayor in urging the Federal Government to provide certainty to Brisbane City Council and the residents of Brisbane about exactly what assets will be covered by the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.

Mr/Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, immediately following the recent flood that devastated so many communities in Brisbane, Brisbane City Council has been trying to establish whether tens of millions of dollars in repairs to Brisbane’s much valued ferry terminals, river walk and sewage plants are eligible for funding under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.

We are now almost six weeks since the peak of the flood and many communities are trying to return to normal as much as possible. But while Brisbane City Council is well underway with its flood recovery work, almost six weeks since the flood, this Federal Government still won’t provide the certainty that is so desperately required in order for Brisbane City Council to fully move forward with the reconstruction process. A process that I am sure that a lot of my colleagues on both sides of this chamber will agree is a top priority.

Mr/Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, it is not like the Brisbane City Council isn’t prepared to make the hard decisions – it certainly is! Two weeks ago, the Lord Mayor, together with Council’s Chairman for Finance and Economic Development, Cr Adrian Schrinner, announced the redirection of $380 million over three years into the flood recovery effort.

That was by no means an easy process but it was made even harder because of the lack of certainty provided by the Federal Government about what it will and won’t fund.

Unlike this Federal Government, Brisbane City Council knows that residents have already been hit hard enough and it is taking all measures possible not to pass on the cost of this reconstruction to residents through higher rates. Particularly at a time when the Federal Government wants to impose an additional tax on all Australians, including those in Queensland that have already donated so much in time volunteering and money.

Unlike this Federal Government, Brisbane City Council practices responsible financial management and is not prepared to run up budget deficits. Running the budget into deficit is not an option but it also can’t delay the flood recovery while it waits for the Federal Government to confirm their financial support – instead it has had to make some very tough decisions and defer projects in some areas and make cuts in others.

Indeed I take this opportunity to commend the Lord Mayor, Campbell Newman, on his outstanding leadership in making these tough decisions and I certainly applaud him and his team on their commitment to prudent financial management. I salute the determination of the Lord Mayor and his council to get city’s vital infrastructure up and running again at the earliest possible time. Last week the Lord Mayor revealed how Brisbane City Council would maintain a balanced budget while covering the cost of Council’s damage bill following the impact of last month’s flood.

The Lord Mayor said Council had put all projects and expenditure under the microscope to find ways to budget for the $440 million damage bill without putting pressure on ratepayers. Deferring projects rather than hitting ratepayers with a large rates rise is most certainly the right thing to do and as the Lord Mayor has acknowledged, as soon as confirmation is received from the State and Federal Government about what will be covered under disaster relief arrangements, some of these projects can begin to be put back on the table.

The good news for Brisbane ratepayers, thanks to the prudent financial decisions made by the Lord Mayor and his team, is that they won’t have to fund the flood bill via a flood levy or surcharge on their rates. Introducing a flood levy at a time like this would be nothing short of poor and reckless financial management. Instead, a responsible financial plan has been put in place to keep the budget in the black and get Brisbane back on track. Brisbane’s clean up and recovery will be a marathon, not a sprint and once again, I commend the Lord Mayor for balancing the Council budget to cover the damage bill and ensuring ratepayers do not suffer expense through extra rate rises and levies; all of which was achieved without any confirmation of support or funding from the State and Federal Governments.

Mr/Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, unlike the Labor State Government in Queensland, Brisbane City Council have also been prudent in their risk management policies and taken out storm and flood insurance policies wherever possible. In fact, it pays over $2 million each year in insurance premiums. This will go some way towards rebuilding Brisbane, but as I mentioned earlier, the fact remains that there will still be a significant shortfall over the next three years. Make no mistake – every dollar of financial assistance the Federal Government refuses to provide is a dollar that Brisbane City Council will need to find by cutting projects the city.

It was not that long ago Mr/Madam Acting Deputy Speaker that the Prime Minister was in Queensland promising to do everything in her power to help rebuild Queensland. I ask the Prime Minister what’s changed now you’re back here in Canberra?

Again, I urge the Federal Government to provide certainty to Brisbane City Council and all other councils in Queensland that have similar concerns.

I read an editorial in the Courier Mail last week that expressed the sentiment eloquently. It read: “No one is asking for a blank cheque. They just want the disaster recovery arrangements honoured in the spirit in which they were intended, an end to the tawdry politics, and enough surety so that we can rebuild our communities. That is not a lot to ask.”

I know that a lot of my colleagues in this chamber will agree with me when I say – No, it certainly is not a lot to ask.

Mr/Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, behind all this bureaucracy, endless red tape and posturing I don’t know what has happened to influential Queenslanders like the members for Lilley & Griffith. They seem to be more concerned about Canberra than Queensland and I join the Lord Mayor of Brisbane in calling for them to stand up for their home State and honour the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements in their entirety and provide certainty for Brisbane and the rest of Queensland who have already suffered so much.

I call on the Prime Minister to outline Brisbane’s position as well as give all Queensland councils some certainty on what will and won’t be eligible for funding as soon as possible. It is quite simple really – all they have to do is say ‘yes vital infrastructure will be funded’ and ‘yes, water and sewerage infrastructure will be funded’ and whether it applies to Brisbane or across the state.

In conclusion, over the last 6 weeks we have all heard a lot about the need to give assistance and demonstrate compassion to the victims of this terrible natural disaster. Indeed the Prime Minister has spoken many time of this herself. Well I say to this house that if the Prime Minister really wants to show some heart and some compassion, she can do this by giving certainty.

I rise today to speak on behalf of the people in my electorate of Bonner and also those in greater Brisbane. I am speaking today in support of Lord Mayor Campbell Newman and his request for the Gillard government to provide assurances about what is considered to be essential public infrastructure under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.

I join the lord mayor in urging the federal government to provide certainty to Brisbane City Council and the residents of Brisbane about exactly what assets will be covered by the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements. Immediately following the recent flood that devastated so many communities in Brisbane, Brisbane City Council has been trying to establish whether Brisbane’s much-valued ferry terminals, river walk and sewerage plants are eligible for funding for repairs, costing tens of millions of dollars, under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements. It is now almost six weeks since the peak of the flood and many communities are trying, as much as possible, to return to normal. The Brisbane City Council is well underway with its flood recovery work almost six weeks since the flood, but this federal government will still not provide the certainty that is so desperately required for the Brisbane City Council to fully move forward with the reconstruction process, a process that I am sure a lot of my colleagues on both sides of this chamber will agree is a top priority.

It is not as though the Brisbane City Council is not prepared to make the hard decisions-it certainly is. Two weeks ago the lord mayor, together with the council’s Chairman for Finance and Economic Development, Councillor Adrian Schrinner, announced the redirection of $380 million, over three years, into the flood recovery effort. That was by no means an easy process, but it was made even harder because of the lack of certainty provided by the federal government about what it will and will not fund.

Unlike this federal government, the Brisbane City Council knows that residents have already been hit hard enough and it is taking all measures possible not to pass on the cost of this reconstruction to residents through higher rates, particularly at a time when the federal government wants to impose an additional tax on all Australians, including on those in Queensland who have already donated so much of their time in volunteering their services as well as their money. Unlike this federal government, the Brisbane City Council practises responsible financial management and is not prepared to run-up budget deficits. Running the budget into deficit is not an option, but the council cannot delay the flood recovery while it waits for the federal government to confirm its financial support. Instead, it has to make some very tough decisions and defer projects in some areas and make cuts in others.

I take this opportunity to commend Lord Mayor Campbell Newman on his outstanding leadership in making these tough decisions and I applaud him and his team on their commitment to prudent financial management. I salute the determination of the lord mayor and his council to get the city’s vital infrastructure up and running again at the earliest possible time. Last week, the lord mayor revealed how Brisbane City Council would maintain a balanced budget, while covering the cost of the council’s damage bill following the impact of last month’s flood. The lord mayor said the council had put all projects and expenditure under the microscope to find ways to budget for the $440 million damage bill without putting pressure on ratepayers. Deferring projects rather than hitting ratepayers with large rate rises is certainly the right thing to do. The lord mayor has acknowledged that, as soon as confirmation is received from the state and federal governments about what will and will not be covered under the disaster relief arrangements, some of these projects can begin to be put back on the table.

The good news for Brisbane ratepayers, thanks to the prudent financial decisions made by the lord mayor and his team, is that they will not have to fund the flood bill via a flood levy or surcharge on their rates. Introducing a flood levy at a time like this would be nothing short of poor and reckless financial management. Instead, a financial plan has been put in place to get the budget in the black and get Brisbane back on track. Brisbane’s clean-up and recovery will be a marathon, not a sprint. Once again, I commend the lord mayor for balancing the council budget to cover the damage bill and for ensuring ratepayers do not suffer expense through extra rate rises and levies-all of which was achieved without any confirmation of support or funding from the state and federal governments.

Unlike the Labor state government in Queensland, Brisbane City Council have also been very prudent in their risk management policies and have taken out storm and flood insurance policies wherever possible. In fact, they pay over $1 million each year in insurance premiums. This will go some way towards rebuilding Brisbane but, as I mentioned earlier, the fact remains that there will still be a significant shortfall over the next three years. Make no mistake: every dollar of financial assistance the federal government refuses to provide is a dollar that Brisbane City Council will need to find by cutting projects in the city.

It was not that long ago that the Prime Minister was in Queensland, promising to do everything in her power to help rebuild Queensland. I ask the Prime Minister: what has changed now that you are back in Canberra? Again, I urge the federal government to provide certainty to Brisbane City Council and all other councils in Queensland that have similar concerns. I read an editorial in the Courier Mail last week that expressed the sentiment eloquently. It said:

No one is asking for a blank cheque. They just want the disaster recovery arrangements honoured in the spirit in which they were intended, an end to the tawdry politics, and enough surety so that we can rebuild our communities. That is not a lot to ask.

I know that a lot of my colleagues in this chamber will agree with me when I say no, it certainly is not a lot to ask.

Behind all this bureaucracy, endless red tape and posturing, I do not know what has happened to influential Queenslanders, like the members for Lilley and Griffith. They seem to be more concerned about Canberra than Queensland, and I join the Lord Mayor of Brisbane in calling for them to stand up for their home state and honour the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements in their entirety and to provide certainty for Brisbane and the rest of Queensland, who have already suffered so much. I call on the Prime Minister to outline Brisbane’s position as well as give all Queensland councils some certainty on what will and will not be eligible for funding as soon as possible. It is quite simple really. All they have to do is say, ‘Yes, vital infrastructure will be funded,’ and, ‘Yes, water and sewerage infrastructure will be funded’-whether it applies to Brisbane or across the state.

In conclusion, over the last six weeks we have all heard a lot about the need to give assistance and demonstrate compassion to the victims of this terrible natural disaster. Indeed, the Prime Minister has spoken many times of this herself. I say to this House: if the Prime Minister really wants to show some heart and some compassion, she can do this by giving certainty.

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this motion of condolence in relation to the natural disasters that have so significantly impacted on so many communities across Australia this summer, particularly the natural disasters that have devastated my home city of Brisbane and my state of Queensland. Firstly, I would like to offer my sincere condolences on behalf of all the residents of Bonner to the families and loved ones of those whose lives were so tragically lost. In particular, I acknowledge my colleagues from both sides who lost members of their communities. I know that your communities will never be the same again. I also offer my sincere condolences to everyone who suffered throughout the recent floods and Cyclone Yasi-to those who lost their personal belongings, including many irreplaceable memories, and those who returned to find their home, their ‘castle’, devastated.

Unlike those of so many of my Queensland colleagues, my electorate of Bonner was not significantly impacted by the flood in Brisbane only a matter of weeks ago. This is somewhat miraculous, given that we border on the electorate of Griffith, which I know suffered significant loss. There was certainly concern raised for the suburbs of Murarrie and Hemmant in Bonner but, given the Brisbane River did not rise to the levels originally predicted, it seems that many families and homes in these suburbs were spared. However, as many in this House would know, the eastern border of my electorate is in fact Moreton Bay, the mouth of the Brisbane River. I have had a lot of people contacting me, voicing their concerns about the plume of mud and debris dispersing through Moreton Bay.

The enormous amount of water that flowed down the Brisbane River brought with it thousands of tonnes of silt containing pollutants which are now settling in Moreton Bay. The Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management, the Healthy Waterways partnership, the CSIRO and several Queensland universities have deployed research teams into the bay in the last couple of weeks so as to understand the dynamics of the flood plume and its likely effect on seagrass, fish, dugongs, turtles, coral and other marine flora and fauna. I am completely behind these efforts and thank the many organisations for their dedication and care. So many people’s livelihoods depend on the ongoing health of Moreton Bay.

Throughout the darkest days of the flood in Brisbane, my office was able to largely remain open to assist many of the residents with information and direct people to specialist assistance as required, but this was done by only one staff member and me. All the other members of my staff were forced to remain in their homes-most without power-because most of the major roads had either been cut off by floodwater or were required by emergency services. While I readily admit that this is no real impost compared to those who were evacuated or remained in their homes hoping to hold back the water, it does give this House a sense of the gravity of what occurred and that there are few people in Brisbane and across the state of Queensland who have not been touched in some way.

Given the scale of the disaster, what I have found incredible over the last few weeks has been the community compassion in Bonner for those who have been impacted. The community spirit that emerged in the face of this disaster was a true testament to the generosity and kindness of local residents. Never before have so many people offered their help and support to those in need. I know that many in my community assisted those threatened by flood waters by filling and moving sandbags and I know that so many offered their time to volunteer in the clean-up. I saw a legion of volunteers rise up with their rakes, buckets and shovels and line up at the Brisbane City Council volunteers stations. They worked tirelessly in the mud, moving tonnes of debris, bit by bit. At MacGregor State School, just outside my electorate, I was humbled and proud to witness the thousands of volunteers who lined up patiently to help those who had been affected. They were ordinary people who just wanted to help in any way they could to do their bit and get their fellow Aussies back on their feet. In my eyes they are extraordinary.

On another practical level, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all members of the local community who so generously donated goods for inclusion in special flood care packages. My office was overwhelmed by the community’s generosity in responding to the call for donations of hygiene products and other sanitary goods that are so often forgotten in care packages for those hardest hit. The local community was truly inspiring in their call to action. Thousands of much needed hygiene and basic sanitary products were received by my office and those were divided into over 100 care packages that were donated through the Red Cross to assist flood victims who lost everything. My electorate office has continued to collect donated goods for more care packages, including things such as deodorant, razors, shampoo, conditioner and other basic hygiene products, this time in conjunction with Liberal-National Party Women to support those affected by cyclone Yasi.

I would like to place on the record my admiration and appreciation for the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Campbell Newman. Lord Mayor Newman displayed incredible leadership throughout the ordeal faced by Brisbane residents, and I would like to say thank you. There is still a big job ahead in rebuilding Brisbane, but if anyone is up to that task it is Campbell. Also, I have organised a fundraising initiative, which I will talk about at another time, to assist the victims of the floods.

On a final note, I would like to thank all Australians who have so generously donated to the various flood appeals that have been organised over recent weeks. Your generosity is humbling and, as a Queenslander, I say thank you. Again, I reiterate that the thoughts of all members of the Bonner community are with those who have been affected by recent events.

It is with regret that I rise today to expose the government’s failures in administering the Solar Hot Water Rebate. The climate change portfolio has been plagued with implementation and administrative failures ever since the government took office. Under Labor we have seen the disasters that have occurred in the Home Insulation Program, the total failure of the Green Loans scheme, the discontinuation of the solar panels program-which had a significant budget blow-out-and now the Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme-Solar Hot Water Rebate program. The administrative failures that are now occurring are having a real and significant impact on the budgets of families and pensioners in my electorate of Bonner, families and pensioners who in good faith made the financial commitment to replace their electric hot water systems with solar systems on the basis that they would receive a $1,000 rebate from the federal government within a reasonable time of outlaying their money.

It is evident now, nearly eight months after lodging their rebate application, that people like Mr Peter Lovrincevic of Mount Gravatt East are still waiting for a rebate to be forthcoming from this government, yet the state government managed to pay Mr Lovrincevic their rebate contribution within six weeks. His is a single-income family which made a significant outlay on the basis that the $1,000 rebate would be paid by the federal government. At a time when all families are feeling the pinch of higher prices, with the total cost of living rising, it is an insult for the government to delay, due to incompetence, people’s rightful rebate. This is also true for Mr Denny Lagos of Mount Gravatt, a pensioner who was trying to get the department to acknowledge receipt of his rebate application nearly four months after he submitted it, let alone being given any idea of when the rebate might be paid. So far I have not had any legitimate explanation for this administrative failure.

I ask this government to honour its commitment to Mr Lovrincevic, Mr Lagos and all other rebate applicants, who have made their commitment in good faith, and pay the rebate that they are entitled to immediately.

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I rise today to speak on behalf of people in my electorate of Bonner who provide unwavering support and/or care for people with disabilities.

I am speaking today on behalf of people like Jody Florence from Carindale, a tireless advocate and volunteer for people with disabilities and the mother of a child with a disability; like Peter Connolly from Mount Gravatt, who has 40 years experience supporting people with an intellectual disability and who is father to Damien, a 45-year-old man with an intellectual disability; like Terry Forster, principal of the Mount Gravatt Special School, who is passionate about achieving systematic reform for disability support; like Kathy Stone, president of the P&C association of the Mount Gravatt Special School community, the parent of a child with a disability and someone who knows firsthand the demands placed upon families that love and care for these most disadvantaged and most often marginalised members of our society; and also like Kath Coory, a diligent worker in the disability community and mother of a daughter who attends Darling Point Special School in Manly.

These wonderful members of our community have shared with me their personal experience of what they consider to be a deeply flawed and inadequate system in Australia for people with disabilities. They have told me that there are insufficient funds and inadequate services to provide for the needs of people with disabilities and that, without a substantial change in direction, the situation will increasingly get worse.
In Queensland the problems for the disabled, their carers, their families and their supporters, they have warned me, are as acute as anywhere in Australia. Based on government figures, there are 5,000 to 6,000 people in my electorate of Bonner with a profound or severe disability. Peter Connolly tells me that the situation in Queensland is improving but that there is a long way to go, as progress has come from such a low base.

The level of support a person with a disability receives can depend on a number of factors: what state they live in; whether the disability is congenital or was acquired; and, if acquired, whether it was acquired in the workplace, in a motor vehicle accident or in some other context. The result is that many people with a disability are left without the assistance they need.

With an ageing population and a frayed patchwork of support for Australians with a disability, there is community consensus that we need to do better. There is a particular concern for people with severe disabilities, who need long-term care, and for those carers who are no longer able to provide constant care and support. As many of us in this House will be aware, a scheme for change, known as the National Disability Insurance Scheme, was presented to the federal government and then referred to the Productivity Commission for consideration. The idea of a national scheme that moves to support a system based on need rather than rationing is certainly worthy of examination. I, along with members of the coalition, support the referral of the concept of a national disability insurance scheme to the Productivity Commission for inquiry.

Australians with a disability should be supported properly regardless of how they acquired their disability. Peter Connolly believes that the proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme includes a number of positive aspects, such as a lifetime approach to care and support for people with a disability, which would replace the current arrangements for funding specialist disability services. The proposed model would assess the risk of disability in the general population, calculate the costs of meeting the essential lifetime needs arising out of these disabilities and estimate the premium or contribution required from taxpayers to meet these needs. Instead of funding capped programs and services for people with disability to find and access the scheme, this would fund on the basis of each individual’s need, which would in turn drive the development of necessary care and support services.

However, while Jody Florence believes that these aspects are positive, she also believes that they are the most basic of requirements and that much more needs to be done. There is no doubt that there is strong interest from the disability sector in reforming this policy area. This is evidenced by the many people in Bonner whom I have referred to today. I will continue to engage with my community as to how the government can better deliver support on the basis of individual need, and I am looking forward to the Productivity Commission’s findings. I am confident that a support scheme based on individual need will be just the beginning of wide-ranging reforms in the area of disability support.